Chieftain - W'adrhŭn Guide

In the background, the Chieftains of the Tribes only have authority during a campaign; during this time, their authority is absolute. In my opinion, this has been well represented with the rules.

Cost:
With only 100 points currently, the Chieftain is clearly underpriced. He offers a solid Warband, a strong close combat profile, and excellent support – an all-around package that leaves little to be desired.

Strengths:

• Cleave 2: In close combat, we reduce the opponent's armor by 2 with a Clash attack.
• Flurry: The character re-rolls all failed hit rolls during Clash actions.
• Effective Close Combat: The combination of many attacks, re-rolls, and high armor penetration is rare. Without additional equipment, the Chieftain reliably achieves 5–6 hits per attack and a similar number of wounds, even against armored regiments.
• Speed: All Tribes regiments in his Warband gain Vanguard (3).
  • Vanguard (3): When a regiment with this rule enters the battlefield, it gains +3 movement for its first move.
• Crushing Force: Tribes regiments in his Warband gain +2 Impact within 10”. Note: The app indicates that this only applies to infantry, but this is an error. The correct Version is in the PDF on the Para Bellum Website.
  • Impact 2: On a charge, the regiment makes 2 attacks without Inspire.
• The Tribes Pride: Veteran regiments in his Warband benefit from Flurry.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker and thus supports the W’adrhŭn mechanic, but cannot trigger a Chant itself.
• Supremacy – Concentrated Assault: If the Chieftain is the Warlord, Speed and Crushing Force apply to all Tribes, regardless of their Warband or distance.
• Flexible Warband: The Chieftain has access to Quatl, Tontorr, and all Tribes regiments. Especially Veterans, Braves, and Slingers benefit immensely from his presence.

Weaknesses:

• Low Resolve: If we’re looking for a weakness, it's that he only has Resolve 3, not Resolve 4. But this is forgivable given the overall package.
• Duelist: Although his close combat profile is convincing and he has 5 health, he dies faster in duels with D3 R3 than one would like. Therefore, I would advise against sending him into duels recklessly.
• Battlefield Role - The Tribes: I haven't noticed any synergies with characters that have the Battlefield Role within the W’adrhŭn so far.

Warband Cults:
All W’adrhŭn characters (except the Scion of Conquest) must join one of the Cults of Famine, Death, or War when building their army list. If the character is the Warlord, they can additionally choose the Cult of Conquest. The choice of Cult is a strategic and personal decision. It is recommended not to mix Cults too much to consistently utilize the desired buffs.

Optional Artifacts:
The W’adrhŭn have a limited selection of artifacts, many of which are tied to specific Cults or characters. With the exception of the Winglord Predator, each character can only equip one artifact. Good options for the Predator:

• Cult Artifacts:
  • Death’s Gaze (25 points): Can only be chosen if the character follows the Cult of Death. The regiment they join gains the special rule Impact 3. This is cumulative with Crushing Force and allows for an absurd number of hits, especially with Veterans.
• Armors:
  • Beads of Death (20 points): Grants the regiment Tenacious 1, which also applies to a Tontorr if the Chieftain rides it.
    • Tenacious 1: Treats one failed defense roll as a success.
• Weapons:
  • Kiss of the Dilosaur (20 points): Opponents must re-roll all successful defense and morale rolls against hits from the Chieftain. This often turns his 6 attacks into 5–8 wounds. Really good.

Optional Masteries:
Where the selection of artifacts is already limited, the selection of masteries is even stricter, based on Cult, character, or even Warlord status. There are still some exceptions, and the effects are almost all remarkable.

• Adaptability (20 points): If the regiment the character belongs to chants any Battlecry of a Cult at Tier II, an objective marker within 6" of the regiment is immediately destroyed. A great ability.
• Vision (30 points): The character must be the Warlord and belong to the Cult of Conquest. Then, ALL infantry and cavalry characters in the army gain Flank. Even if only this character gains it, I would buy this for 30 points.
• Cure (15 points): Only for characters following the Cult of Death. The regiment the character joins gains Deadly Blades.
  • Deadly Blades: Each armor roll of 6 deals two damage instead of one when making attacks with this special rule. If the opponent has no armor against the attacks, they still have to roll, and for each 6, they take two damage.
• Tontorr Rider: The character gains the Rider rule and must ride a Tontorr in their Warband.
  • Rider: This character is not represented as a separate stand and must be attached to a monster regiment in their Warband. The character must be located somewhere on the monster's base. The regiment counts as two stands: one monster stand and one character stand. If the character is slain in a duel, the monster will gain the Broken status, as the regiment has lost half of its stands.
    Additionally, it should be noted that the character uses the monster stand for measuring distances and drawing line of sight. A monster stand typically counts as 3 stands for scoring, with the character stand added. This means a rider model usually counts as 4 stands for scoring. Seven with Chant from the Tontorr.

General Tactics:
As mentioned earlier, the Chieftain is currently very underpriced at 100 points. Along with the City States characters Polemarch and Aristarch, he is one of the best characters in the game. His strong close combat profile, the three excellent buffs for his Warband, and the near-perfect Warband he brings make him one of the two most popular Warlords of the W’adrhŭn. You don’t even have to play him as a Warlord to get a highly flexible and self-sufficient Warband. Both Braves and Veterans benefit greatly from his passive buffs. In my opinion, Veterans only become truly viable when he’s in the mix. His effect becomes even stronger when he joins a regiment with the right equipment. Whether you want to increase damage, for example, through Cure and/or Death’s Gaze, or make the regiment more stable, such as with Beads of Death, the Chieftain is always worth his points with his Warband.

It’s especially worth noting that he has access to one of the best ranged units in the game: the Slingers. They benefit greatly from Vanguard (3) and from the fact that they are now available in a second Warband. This finally gives the army long-range support outside of the Predator. They aren’t a must with him, but just having the option is nice.

Even without many Tribes regiments, he still shines with the Tontorr and Quatl in his Warband. The Quatl, with its movement value of 9, is very fast and can easily reach most zones by turn two. Even the medium infantry regiments, with their 14-inch range (Move, Move, Banner, Vanguard), can get into some zones. All it takes is for one unit of Slingers to pull the reinforcement line forward. This allows us to enter the 9-inch zones that are 12 inches from the edge, if we are only two stands wide. This may sound more complicated than it actually is, but it leads to more games being won than one would expect. Many opponents overlook these possibilities. Since you are very oblique and only get one stand into the zone, you need to know exactly what you’re doing, or you might sacrifice the regiment unnecessarily.

Personally, I also really like him as a Tontorr Rider, even though the points invested rarely reflect the benefit I hope for. However, it just looks incredibly powerful when a Chieftain is perched on a long-necked creature, marauding through enemies. His true strength remains the scenario play that he enables for the Tribe regiments. Even though the change to Vanguard has slightly weakened this, the advantage remains enormous.

Thunder Chieftain - W'adrhŭn Guide

The W'adrhŭn leaders often fight at the front lines, with the Thunder Chieftain riding a mighty Triceratops into battle. I personally find the background story rather uninteresting, and the model doesn't particularly appeal to me visually, but the rules are cool.

Cost

At 150 points, the Thunder Chieftain is no bargain, but it brings a lot of rules and synergies with it.

Strengths

• Cleave 2: In close combat, we reduce the opponent’s armor by 2 with a Clash attack.
• Linebreaker: With Clash and Impact, the regiment ignores the special rules Bastion and Shield when facing an opponent. This does not apply to attached regiments.
• Trample 2: At the end of the activation, an opponent in the front receives 2 autohits per stand with this rule. These do not cause Resolve tests and do not benefit from Linebreaker or other special rules.
• Brutal Impact (2): Against Impact attacks, the opponent’s defense is reduced by 2.
• High Offensive Power: With Trample 2, Attack 6, Impact 4, and a Clash value of 3, they can deal significant damage to nearly any opponent in close combat.
• Stable Defense: With Defense 4, Resolve 3, and 6 hit points, the Thunder Chieftain can even stand his ground in a duel. This can be significantly improved with items.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanic but cannot trigger a Chant itself.
• Thunderous Assault: If the Thunder Chieftain is a Warlord, all friendly regiments with the "The Speakers" keyword gain the Shock special rule.
  • Shock: When a regiment performs a successful charge with the Shock special rule, it gains +1 Clash until the end of the round.
• Ride the Lightning: All Thunder Riders in the Thunder Chieftain’s warband gain Flank.
  • Flank: The regiment does not roll for Reinforcements and can choose to either automatically bring the regiment into play or hold it back according to its weight class. One of the best rules in the game.
• Warband: Besides the obvious Thunder Riders, the Braves and Quatl are interesting in his warband. Occasionally, the Warbred can also be an interesting option with him.

Weaknesses

• Battlefield Role - The Speakers: I have not noticed any synergies with characters with the Battlefield Role "The Speakers" among the W'adrhŭn.
• High Price: The Thunder Chieftain is expensive and really only justifies his price when serving as a Warlord.

Warband Cults

All W'adrhŭn characters (except the Scion of Conquest) must join one of the cults: Famine, Death, or War when building the army list. If the character is a Warlord, they can also choose the Cult of Conquest. The choice of cult is a strategic and personal decision. It is advisable not to mix cults too much in order to consistently make use of the desired buffs.

Optional Artifacts: The W'adrhŭn have a limited selection of artifacts, many of which are cult- or character-bound. With the exception of the Winglord Predator, each character can equip only one artifact. Useful options for the Predator:

• Cult Artifacts:
  • The Horn of Ronan (30 points): Can only be chosen if the character follows the Cult of War. The regiment it joins gains the Trample 2 special rule when chanting Tier 2 of the Cult of War.
    • Trample 2: At the end of the activation, an opponent in the front receives 2 autohits per stand with this rule. These do not cause Resolve tests and do not benefit from Linebreaker or other special rules.
• Armors:
  • Beads of Death (20 points): Grants the regiment Tenacious 1. This is an interesting option, especially for Thunder Riders.
    • Tenacious 1: Treats 1 failed defense roll as a success.
• Weapons:
  • Kiss of the Dinosaur (20 points): Opponents must reroll all successful Defense and Resolve rolls against hits from the Thunder Chieftain. This applies to Impact, Trample, and Clash attacks.

Optional Masteries: Where the selection of artifacts was already restricted, the selection of masteries is even stricter, being limited by cult, character, or even Warlord status. At least there are a few exceptions, and the effects are almost all quite good.

• Adaptability (20 points): If the regiment the character belongs to chants the Battlecry of a cult at Tier II, a target marker within 6" of the regiment is immediately destroyed. A great ability, especially in combination with Slingers, who want to chant anyway.

• Drive (30 points): Only for Warlords following the Cult of Famine. All infantry regiments in their warband gain the Cult of Famine Battlefield Role. Additionally, all Cult of Famine infantry regiments gain Vanguard (3).

  • Vanguard (3): When a regiment with this rule enters the battlefield, it gains +3 Movement for the first move.

• Resilience (20 points): All Thunder Riders in the army gain the Hardened 1 special rule.

  • Hardened 1: Opponents reduce their Brutal Impact, Cleave, or Armor Piercing by 1, but at least to 0, when fighting against us.

• Cure (15 points): Only for characters following the Cult of Death. The regiment the character joins gains Deadly Blades.

  • Deadly Blades: Every armor roll of 6 causes two damage instead of one when attacking with this rule. If the opponent has no armor against the attacks, they still have to roll, and for each 6, they take two damage.

General Tactics

The Thunder Chieftain is currently the most popular Warlord in the faction and is mostly fielded when he is intended to serve as the Warlord. This is mainly due to the simplicity of the Supremacy, which gives all "The Speakers" regiments a nearly 16% higher chance to hit when charging. The fact that some of the powerful dinosaurs are also among the ranks of the "The Speakers" keyword further contributes to the popularity of the Thunder Chieftain.

Personally, I prefer him with the Kiss of the Dinosaur, as it significantly boosts his already impressive damage potential. I especially like to deploy him directly in Raptors to benefit from the Supremacy starting from the second round, which usually becomes active once he enters the battlefield. Another advantage: If the Thunder Chieftain dies, all "The Speakers" regiments lose their Shock status, which is a huge weakening. While it may seem strange to deploy him in Raptors, I enjoy playing Double Raptors with two characters, one of whom is often a Mounted Predator with Death’s Gaze for the impact damage. Especially against lists that don't bring many regiments into play early, you can clear up quite effectively starting from the second round.

The Thunder Rider cavalry is also an excellent choice for the Thunder Chieftain. This unit benefits greatly from the Flank and Shock abilities of the Thunder Chieftain and is the most commonly seen variant. What equipment to prefer is subjective and often depends on the cult. Many "Speakers" prefer Famine, but the Thunder Riders don't really benefit from that. Instead, they favor War, particularly the Horn of Ronan, which further strengthens their Trample attacks. It's less about the charge clash and more about the move charge with Trample. Whether you need that is highly subjective. More often, you’ll see Resilience to give all Thunder Riders Hardened 1, making them more resilient.

Winglord - Einheitenguide für die W'adrhŭn

Para Bellum has created a truly impressive model with the Winglord, which stands out not only due to its impressive presence on the battlefield but also because of its sheer size. The majestic flying dinosaur, gliding over the battlefield and attacking with deadly precision, embodies the perfect synergy of wildness and discipline. However, this size comes at a cost: The Winglord is so massive that even an A-Case is not a sufficient transport solution, as its enormous wingspan and impressive silhouette exceed the usual dimensions.

Cost

At 210 points, a Winglord deals similar damage to an Apex but offers more flexibility and better scenario gameplay.

Strengths

• Cleave 1: In close combat, we reduce the opponent’s armor by 1 with a Clash attack.
• Bird of Prey: Once per round, the Quatl can fly over a size 1 enemy regiment with a Move action and cause 5 hits, which count as flank attacks. Important: This does not apply to a charge.
• Death from Above: When charging successfully on a flank or rear attack, we gain Brutal Impact 2.
  • Brutal Impact (2): Against Impact attacks, the opponent’s defense is reduced by 2.
• Solid Melee Attack: With 11 attacks, 6 impacts, and Barrage 6, the Quatl can make up to 24 attacks per round. Additionally, it has Clash 3, allowing it to effectively perform impacts as well as Clash attacks. Simply good.
• Fly: With a Move or Charge action, the model can move over regiments and impassable terrain. This means it can also move over regiments engaged in melee.
• Mounted Hunters: The regiment can perform a free Volley action during its activation. Keep in mind the maximum action limit of 3 and that it cannot be used in melee.
• Armor Piercing 1: In ranged combat, we reduce the opponent’s armor by 1 with a Volley attack.
• Fluid Formation: At the end or the start of the activation, the regiment may perform an additional free Reform action. For a monster, this only slightly increases its charge range, but the free pivot allows it to charge any target. Additionally, the ability to shoot from any side or the rear is more often relevant.
• Super Mobility: With Movement 9, Fluid Formation, Fly, and a narrow monster base, the Quatl and Winglord Predator are among the most mobile regiments in the game.
• Medium: As a medium regiment, the Winglord can score points.
• Thrill of the Kill: As a Warlord, we gain Chant Markers when an enemy regiment is destroyed (two markers if it was in a zone). However, this Supremacy ability is weaker compared to others in the faction, as Chant Markers are usually not scarce.
• Regiment & Character: The Winglord Predator is considered both a character model and an independent regiment, using both rules. This means it counts for 2 points in Killpoints—once as a character and once as a regiment.
• Warband: A significantly more restricted Warband than its foot counterpart, but interestingly, it is itself a regiment.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanic and can trigger it.
• Battlefield Role - The Speakers: There are some nice small synergies with the Thunder Chieftain Warlord and the Winglord Predator. Mostly a "nice to have."
• Predatory Shriek Chant: The Winglord Predator and all friendly monster regiments in the army gain access to the Predatory Shriek Chant. This grants Terrifying +1 for three markers of any cult. Important: This is cumulative for the Apex.
  • Terrifying 1: Reduces the Resolve (Morale) of units hit by its Clash or Impact attacks by 1.

Weaknesses

• Character: The Winglord can be challenged to duels.
• Moderate Defense: With Defense 3, Evasion 2, Resolve 3, and 16 hit points, the Winglord is surprisingly stable. This is neither particularly good nor bad but more than expected. Nevertheless, it is vulnerable to concentrated attacks and shooting. Death 2 rerolls can provide some relief and are surprisingly my most common Chant with the Quatl.
• Irregular: The regiment does not influence reinforcement lines and cannot be accompanied by characters without this rule. However, this is irrelevant, as no characters can join the regiment anyway.
• Max 3 Actions: The basic rules allow only three actions per round. This means that a combination of Mounted Hunters, Fluid Formation, and two regular actions is only possible to a limited extent.

Warband Cults:

All W'adrhŭn characters (except the Scion of Conquest) must join one of the cults: Famine, Death, or War when building the army list. If the character is a Warlord, they can also choose the Cult of Conquest. The Winglord can also join a cult! The choice of cult is a strategic and personal decision. It is recommended not to mix cults too much in order to consistently use the desired buffs.

Optional Artifacts: The Winglord cannot purchase artifacts.

Optional Masteries: The Winglord cannot purchase masteries.

General Tactics:

The Winglord is an improved version of the Quatl, with slightly higher stats that make it significantly more effective. Particularly the jump from Clash 2 to Clash 3 and its 11 attacks provide significant advantages both offensively and defensively. This allows it not only to free itself from most melees but also to deal much more damage. Thanks to its special rule Fly and support from Chants like Famine Tier II, the Winglord is highly flexible in its use. It can easily maneuver over its own regiments into the flanks of enemy units. Particularly on the flank, it becomes a threat to most regiments but is especially good at delivering the final blow to wounded units.

Its biggest advantage remains, as with the Quatl, its strength in scenario play. With Fluid Formation, Fly, and a movement range of 9 inches, it can quickly move between zones, attack poorly protected enemy areas, or at least block them. With a double move, it reaches a range of 18 inches, enabling it to almost reach any important zone from reserve. Often, it will perform a double move in one turn, combined with a shooting action before, after, or in between. Depending on the situation, this order may vary, for example, with Aim, Shot, and Move. If it flies over an enemy with height 1, it causes additional damage. The only reason I currently don’t play a combination of three flying dinosaurs is the massive size of the models. This makes transport extremely difficult, and I have yet to find a reasonable transport solution or suitable conversion ideas.

Mounted Predator - W'adrhŭn Guide

Like the foot model, the mounted one is an excellent hunter. Unfortunately, it is only available as a resin kit, but it is easy to build from a Raptor kit.

Cost: With only 100 points, the Mounted Predator is quite affordable for a mounted character.

Strengths:

• Expert Hunters: Speakers regiments in his warband ignore Hindering, Dangerous, Broken, and Perilous terrain. In other words, they can make impacts through terrains like forests.
• Fiend Hunter: The Predator can reroll all failed attack rolls against Monster and Brute regiments.
• Armor Piercing 1: In ranged combat, we reduce the opponent's armor by 1 with a Volley Attack.
• Deadly Shot: Any armor roll of 6 results in two damage instead of one for ranged combat attacks with this special rule. Even if the opponent has no armor against the attack, they must still roll and for every 6, they take two damage.
• Effective Ranged Combat: The combination of V3, Barrage 4, 18" range, Armor Piercing, Deadly Shot, and Fiend Hunter is good, but the Raptors he prefers to travel with rarely want to shoot, despite the free shooting action.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanic, but cannot trigger a Chant itself.
• Thrill of the Kill: As a Warlord, we gain Chant Markers when an enemy regiment is destroyed (two markers if it was in a zone). However, this supremacy ability is weaker compared to others in the faction because Chant Markers are usually not scarce.
• Warband: A significantly more limited warband than its foot counterpart, but due to Expert Hunters, it can be quite interesting in some builds.

Weaknesses:

• Battlefield Role - The Speakers: I haven’t noticed any synergy with characters having the Battlefield Role with the W’adrhŭn.
• Low Defense: With D2, E1, R3, and 6 health points, he is vulnerable and should avoid direct duels despite his good attack values.

Warband Cults: All W'adrhŭn characters (except the Scion of Conquest) must join one of the Cults of Famine, Death, or War when building the army list. If the character is a Warlord, they can also choose the Cult of Conquest. The choice of Cult is a strategic and personal decision. It is recommended not to mix Cults too much to use the desired buffs consistently.

Optional Artifacts: The W'adrhŭn have a limited selection of artifacts, many of which are cult- or character-specific. With the exception of the Winglord Predator, each character can equip only one artifact. Useful options for the Predator:

• Cult Artifacts:

  • Death’s Gaze (25 points): Can only be chosen if the character follows the Cult of Death. The regiment the character joins gains the special rule Impact 3. This is cumulative with Crushing Force and allows for an absurd number of hits, for example, against Veterans.
    • Impact 2: On the charge, the regiment makes 2 attacks without Inspire.
  • The Horn of Ronan (30 points): Can only be chosen if the character follows the Cult of War. The regiment the character joins gains the special rule Trample 2 if they chant Tier 2 of the Cult of War.
    • Trample 2: At the end of the activation, an opponent in the front receives 2 auto-hits per stand with this rule. These do not cause Resolve tests and do not benefit from Linebreaker or other special rules.

• Armors:

  • Beads of Death (20 points): Grants the regiment Tenacious 1.
    • Tenacious 1: Treats 1 failed defense roll as a success.
  • Death’s Reach (20 points): The Predator gains +1 attack and Cleave 1. This gives the Predator 7 attacks with Cleave 1 and Fiend Hunter.
    • Cleave 1: In close combat, we reduce the opponent's armor by 1 with a Clash attack.

• Weapons:

  • Kiss of the Dinosaur (20 points): Opponents must reroll all successful Defense and Resolve rolls against hits from the Predator, even in ranged combat.

Optional Masteries: While the selection of artifacts was already limited, the choice of Masteries is even stricter, being limited to Cult, Character, or even Warlord. However, there are some exceptions, and the effects are almost all quite good.

• Adaptability (20 points): If the regiment this character belongs to chants the Battlecry of a Cult at Tier II, a target marker within 6" of the regiment is immediately destroyed. A great ability, especially in combination with Slingers who already want to chant.
• Cure (15 points): Only for characters following the Cult of Death. The regiment the character joined gains Deadly Blades.
  • Deadly Blades: Any armor roll of 6 results in two damage instead of one for attacks with this special rule. Even if the opponent has no armor against the attack, they must still roll, and for every 6, they take two damage.

General Tactics:

After the release of the update, I extensively tested the Mounted Predator, as I think it offers an excellent opportunity to support the nice Raptor models. Also, I built my own from a Raptor kit last year or the year before. However, there are some challenges to consider. One major disadvantage is that many of the items and Masteries of the W’adrhŭn are strongly tied to the Cults. This often requires compromises that are not always ideal, especially when pursuing a specific playstyle. It’s important to have a clear plan to use the Mounted Predator effectively, as Raptors can function well without him, and we need to invest a lot of points.

In my test games, I found The Horn of Ronan useful, but the need to chant regularly to activate the effect quickly became annoying. However, there are players in my group who appreciate this effect very much. The guaranteed additional hits and Cleave 1 significantly increase the damage of the Raptors, especially against moderately armored regiments. One variation that I personally really like requires the Thunder Chieftain Warlord and the artifact Death’s Gaze. This can also be expanded with the Mastery Cure. Cure grants the regiment Deadly Blades, meaning enemy armor rolls of 6 count as 2 wounds in Clash attacks (but not with Impacts). Death’s Gaze gives the regiment the special rule Impact 3. Both effects are good but require the character to belong to the Cult of Death, which already presents a disadvantage. The advantage, however, is that we do not have to chant to activate these effects. With Deadly Blades, I can generally skip offensive chants like War and might have the option for Famine. This results in absurd ranges, charge angles, and fun. Don’t forget that Fluid Formation and Impacts together create an absurd number of tactical possibilities, especially if we can ignore Hindering terrain. Charging opponents across half the board into their flank is just one of them.

Even if we don’t use Fluid, there are options. With Impacts, I can run 8", shoot, and then charge. So, I can move damage across a safe 17" without Chants. With an MSU Raptor unit (3 stands) with a character, that’s about 4-5 ranged hits and 6 impact hits. That’s enough to wipe out most shooting regiments.

Predator - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

The Predator is undoubtedly one of the most aesthetically pleasing figures among the W'adrhŭn and stands out as an excellent hunter both in the lore and on the battlefield. Available as a plastic kit, it is an attraction for both players and collectors and is currently included as a demo figure in the paint sets.

Cost:

At only 100 points, the Predator is an affordable and effective combat character that excels with strong support abilities. He is, therefore, a staple in many W'adrhŭn armies.

Strengths:

• Forward Force: A non-monster regiment joined by the Predator gains Flank.
  • Flank: The regiment does not receive Reinforcement dice and can choose to be deployed automatically or held back, depending on its weight class. One of the best rules in the game.
• Ceaseless Hunt: The regiment the Predator joins gains the Fire and Advance special rule.
  • Fire and Advance: If this regiment performs a Volley action as its second action, it can immediately perform a free March action, counting toward the limit of three actions per activation.
• Fiend Hunter: The Predator can re-roll all failed attack rolls against Monster and Brute regiments.
• Armor Piercing 1: In ranged combat, his Volley attack reduces the opponent's Armor by 1.
• Deadly Shot: Each 6 on an armor roll results in two damage instead of one when making ranged attacks with this special rule. Even if the opponent has no armor, they must still roll, and any 6s cause two damage.
• Effective Ranged Combat: The combination of V3, Barrage 4, 18" range, Armor Piercing, Deadly Shot, Fiend Hunter, and Fire and Advance makes the Predator an excellent ranged support unit, especially for units like Slingers in his Warband, which benefit greatly from his support against Monsters and Brutes.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker and supports the W'adrhŭn mechanics, though he cannot trigger a Chant himself.
• Thrill of the Kill: As Warlord, he generates Chant Markers when an enemy regiment is destroyed (two markers if it was in a zone). However, compared to other faction Supremacy abilities, this is weaker, as Chant Markers are usually plentiful.
• Warband: The Predator has access to nearly all W'adrhŭn Dinosaurs. His focus is on light regiments like Slingers and Hunting Packs, which synergize excellently with him. Slingers, in particular, benefit greatly from his support.

Weaknesses:

• Battlefield Role - The Speakers: No synergy has been observed with characters having a Battlefield Role among the W'adrhŭn.
• Low Defense: With D2, E1, R3, and 5 Life, he is vulnerable and should avoid direct duels, despite his good offensive stats.

Warband Cults:

All W'adrhŭn characters (except the Scion of Conquest) must join one of the Cults of Famine, Death, or War when building their army list. If the character is the Warlord, they may additionally choose the Cult of Conquest. The choice of cult is a strategic and personal decision. It's recommended not to mix too many Cults, as it can be difficult to consistently benefit from the desired buffs.

Optional Artifacts:

The W'adrhŭn have a limited selection of artifacts, many of which are cult- or character-specific. With the exception of the Winglord Predator, each character can equip only one artifact. Here are some meaningful options for the Predator:

• Cult Artifacts:

  • None

• Armors:

  • Beads of Death (20 points): Grants the Tenacious 1 rule to the regiment, which also applies if the Predator is mounted on an Apex.
    • Tenacious 1: Treats one failed defense roll as a success.
  • Death's Reach (20 points): The Predator gains +1 Attack and Cleave 1. This is something usually seen when riding an Apex Rider, giving the Predator 7 attacks, Cleave 1: and Fiend Hunter. When mounted on the Apex, the Terrifying rule applies to him, boosting the Apex's damage significantly.
    • Cleave 1: In melee, reduce the opponent's Armor by 1 with a Clash attack.

• Weapons:

  • Brood of Omgorah (20 points): The character becomes a Cavalry model and gains the Impact 4 and Brutal Impact 2 special rules. This is often used for Flank, and the mounted Predator takes advantage of Flank for Raptors.
    • Impact 4 & Brutal Impact 2: During a charge, the character makes 4 impacts with -2 Armor for the opponent. Important: Impacts do not benefit from Inspire.
  • Kiss of the Dinosaur (20 points): Opponents must re-roll all successful defense and resolve rolls against attacks from the Predator, even in ranged combat.

Optional Masteries:

While the selection of artifacts is already limited, the mastery options are even stricter, being tied to Cult, Character, or Warlord. However, there are some exceptions, and the effects are nearly all remarkably good:

• Adaptability (20 points): If the regiment this character is in chants a Battlecry from any Cult at Tier II, an Objective Marker within 6" of the regiment is immediately destroyed. This is a great ability, especially in combination with Slingers, who will want to chant anyway.
• Apex Master: The character gains the Rider rule and must choose to ride an Apex Predator in their Warband. A Predator character with this mastery can perform a Free Volley action during the Apex activation, which counts toward the three actions per round limit.
  • Rider: This character is not represented as a separate stand and must attach to a Monster regiment in their Warband. The character must be positioned somewhere on the Monster’s base. The regiment counts as two stands: one for the Monster stand and one for the Character stand. If the character is destroyed in a duel, the Monster gains the Broken status as it has lost half of its stands.The character uses the Monster stand for range measurement and line of sight. Typically, a Monster stand counts as 3 stands for scoring, with the Character stand adding to the total. Thus, a Rider model typically counts as 4 stands for scoring.

General Tactics:

The Predator is a versatile and strong hero for the W'adrhŭn, excelling particularly in ranged combat. He doesn’t need much additional equipment to be effective. Personally, I value his support abilities like Flank and Fire and Advance for Slingers more than his offensive capabilities. This means I often take a Predator to join a Slinger regiment to ensure they can safely deploy on the battlefield in the first round and still move after firing.

That said, this doesn’t mean the Predator is bad at shooting. Even though his effectiveness is slightly reduced against enemies with Hardend or rerolls in defense, his offensive potential remains high. Additionally, he benefits from the Singing Bullets of the Slingers, keeping him in optimal range and giving him +1 Barrage. More than one Hellbringer has died in a shooting phase with 4 stands of Slingers + Predator, as the Predator simply rolled 4 sixes on the defense rolls.

It's important to protect the block with other regiments, like Hunting Packs or Braves, as many will attempt to get into melee using Move & Charge. While the Predator and Slingers can hold their own with Chants, the Predator's main role is long-range shooting and supporting other units. Having a Slinger unit with Predator in the late game is quite unpleasant for most opponents and very beneficial for us.

A second, visually impressive variant that has drawn many players into the game is to mount the Predator on an Apex. With the recent update, Apex Rider now grants a free Volley action, which compensates for losing Flank and the range shooting potential of the Predator on the Apex. However, this is usually a trap, and the most common variant I play is the Predator with Death's Reach (the spear also included in the box). With this setup, you have 18 attacks with the monster: 7 with Cleave 1, 11 with Cleave 2, all benefiting from Terrifying 2. Against Brutes and Monsters, you also re-roll all hits. This setup kills nearly every MSU (3 stands) of Brutes and Monsters in one activation, with the exception of Talos and Tontorrs. And, it just looks amazing.

Matriarch Queen - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

In the background, a Queen is an imposing warrior who has not taken the life-giving path of other women. Fortunately, she can still heal in the game.

Cost:

For 100 points, we get a solid combat and support profile.

Strengths:

• Cleave: In melee combat, we reduce the opponent’s armor by 1 with a Clash attack.
• Solid Melee: 5 attacks with Cleave 1 is more or less the standard profile I expect from a melee hero. It’s solid and useful.
• Resolve 4: Resolve 4 on heroes is always great because, from 4 Stands onwards, they receive the morale bonus for regiment size, effectively raising it to Resolve 5.
• Stoic: The Queen’s regiment gains Indomitable 1.
  • Indomitable (1): A failed morale test counts as passed. Note: This does not apply to resolve tests like Combat Reform.
• To the Last Breath: A Draw Event that heals any non-monster regiment within 10" of the Queen by 4 wounds. Fantastic, and the faction’s only healing ability.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker and supports the W’adrhŭn mechanics but cannot trigger a chant itself.
• Supremacy – The Matriarch Walks: If a regiment uses a chant, it immediately loses the Broken status. Additionally, once per Spoel, you can treat all Command Stands as +2 for seizing zones.
• Flexible Warband: In addition to all the big dinosaurs, the Queen also has access to Raptors but unfortunately no dinosaur Mainstay. However, she does have the impressive Warbred as Mainstay, allowing for interesting builds.

Weaknesses:

• Duels: Even though her melee profile is solid and she has 5 wounds, with D3 R3 she dies faster in duels than one would like. I would avoid sending her into duels carelessly.
• Battlefield Role - The Tribes: So far, I haven’t noticed any synergy related to characters with the Battlefield Role in W’adrhŭn.

Warband Cults:

Alle W'adrhŭn-Charaktere (außer dem Scion of Conquest) müssen sich beim Armeelistenbau einem der Kulte Famine, Death oder War anschließen. Ist der Charakter Warlord, kann er zusätzlich den Kult des Conquest wählen. Die Wahl des Kults ist eine strategische und persönliche Entscheidung. Es empfiehlt sich, Kulte nicht zu sehr zu mischen, um die gewünschten Buffs konsistent nutzen zu können.

Optionale Artefakte: Die W'adrhŭn verfügen über eine begrenzte Auswahl an Artefakten, von denen viele kult- oder charaktergebunden sind. Mit Ausnahme des Winglord Predators kann jeder Charakter nur ein Artefakt ausrüsten. Sinnvolle Optionen für den Predator:

• Cult Artefacts:
  • Death’s Gaze (25 Punkte): Kann nur gewählt werden, wenn der Charakter dem Cult of Death folgt. Das Regiment, dem er sich angeschlossen hat, bekommt die Sonderregel Impact 3. Das ist kumulativ mit Crushing Force und erlaubt eine absurde Anzahl an Treffern bei z. B. Veterans.
• Armors:
  
  • Beads of Death (20 Punkte). Verleiht dem Regiment Tenacious 1, was auch für einen Tontorr gilt, falls der Chieftain ihn reitet.
    • Tenacious 1: Behandelt 1 fehlgeschlagenen Verteidigungswurf als Erfolg.
• Weapons:
  
  • Kiss of the Dilosaur (20 Punkte): Gegner müssen alle bestandenen Defense- und Moral-Würfe gegen Treffer der Queen wiederholen.

Warband Cults:

All W’adrhŭn characters (except the Scion of Conquest) must choose one of the cults—Famine, Death, or War—when building an army list. If the character is a Warlord, they can also select the Cult of Conquest. Choosing a cult is both a strategic and personal decision. It is advisable not to mix cults too much to consistently benefit from the desired buffs.

Optional Artifacts:

The W’adrhŭn have a limited selection of artifacts, many of which are tied to specific cults or characters. With the exception of the Winglord Predator, each character can equip only one artifact. Useful options for the Predator include:

Cult Artifacts:

• Death’s Gaze (25 points): Can only be selected if the character belongs to the Cult of Death. The regiment the character is attached to gains the Impact 3 special rule. This stacks with Crushing Force and enables an absurd number of hits, especially for Veterans.

Armors:

• Beads of Death (20 points): Grants the regiment Tenacious 1, which also applies to a Tontorr if the Chieftain is riding it.
  • Tenacious 1: Treats 1 failed defense roll as a success.

Weapons:

• Kiss of the Dilosaur (20 points): Opponents must reroll all successful defense and morale rolls against hits from the Queen.

Optional Masteries:

Where artifact selection is already limited, the selection of masteries is even stricter, often restricted to a specific cult, character, or even Warlord status. However, the available options are generally very strong.

• Adaptability (20 points): If the regiment this character belongs to chants any Battlecry of a cult at Tier II, an objective marker within 6" of the regiment is immediately destroyed. A fantastic ability.
• Vision (30 points): The character must be a Warlord and belong to the Cult of Conquest. All infantry and cavalry characters in your army gain Flank. Even if only the Queen gained it, it would still be worth the 30 points.
• Drive (30 points): Only for Warlords belonging to the Cult of Famine. All infantry regiments in their Warband gain the Cult of Famine Battlefield Role. Additionally, all Cult of Famine infantry regiments receive Vanguard (3).
  • Vanguard (3): When a regiment with this rule enters the battlefield, it gets +3 Movement for its first move.
• Cure (15 points): Only for characters belonging to the Cult of Death. The regiment the character joins gains Deadly Blades.
  • Deadly Blades: Each roll of 6 on an armor save counts as two damage instead of one for attacks with this special rule. If the opponent has no armor against these attacks, they still roll, and each 6 results in two damage.
• Apex Master: The character gains the Rider special rule and must choose to ride an Apex Predator in their Warband.
  • Rider: This character is not represented as a separate stand and must be attached to a monster regiment in their Warband. The character must be positioned somewhere on the monster’s base. The regiment counts as two stands: one monster stand and one character stand. If the character is slain in a duel, the monster receives the Broken status, as the regiment has lost half of its stands. Additionally, the character uses the monster stand for measuring distances and drawing line of sight. A monster stand usually counts as 3 stands for scoring purposes, with the character stand adding to this. This means a rider model generally counts as 4 stands for scoring.

General Tactics:

The Matriarch Queen significantly increases a unit’s durability thanks to Resolve 4, Indomitable, and Last Breath. It’s a bit unfortunate that she has no dinosaur Mainstay, but overall, she provides a solid Warband. A particularly nice feature is that there are three viable ways to play her.

1. In a large block of Braves or Chosen to make the most of her healing ability. Depending on the unit, she can take Beads of Death for added durability or, when playing with the Cult of Death, the powerful combination of Death’s Gaze & Cure. This works best with Braves, as they are cheap enough to field six or more stands easily. Despite the cult choice, other spells can still be chanted, making the unit even more threatening.

2. Mounted on an Apex Predator. While she cannot heal the Apex itself, Indomitable and possibly Beads of Death make it much tankier, and her presence on its back significantly boosts its damage output. Additionally, the Queen’s healing ability measures from the Apex’s base edge, greatly increasing its range.

3. Mounted on a Brood of Omgoroah, my personal favorite, though this option has become rarer since the introduction of rules removing character weight classes. Essentially, she significantly boosts both the durability and damage output of Raptors, while her unique Supremacy bonus allows for early scoring and, more importantly, denying the opponent points. I often use her Supremacy to block enemy zones rather than just keeping up in scoring, aiming to build a strong points lead. Proper target selection is crucial here, as she must engage in fights where her regiments don’t get immediately wiped out, something that’s not always easy. This is one reason why such builds are seen less often.It can also be useful to purchase the Drive Mastery, as it grants Vanguard to infantry, removing the need for a foot Chieftain and his Warband for mobility.

Scion of Conquest - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

When the faction was released, this was my favorite hero. I was especially drawn to the preview model at the time.

Cost:

110 points for a priest who hits like Bud Spencer seems fair. Only his Warband holds him back somewhat.

Strengths:

• Cleave 2: In melee combat, a Clash Attack reduces the enemy’s armor by 2.
• Solid Melee Profile: 5 Attacks with Cleave 1 is more or less the standard profile I expect from a melee hero. The Scion even has Cleave 2, making him quite effective.
• Resolve 4: Having Resolve 4 on a hero is always great because, at 4 Stands, the regiment benefits from the morale bonus for regiment size, bringing it up to Resolve 5.
• Cult of Conquest: All non-Chosen regiments in his Warband follow the Cult of Conquest. This is the only way, besides a Warlord, to bring the Cult of Conquest into the army.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanics, but cannot trigger a chant himself.
• Supremacy – Vision of Conquest: Once per game, for a single round, you may pick any card from your deck instead of drawing the top card. Additionally, during this round, all regiments and characters produce Conquest Markers. When used properly, this can be absurdly strong.

Weaknesses:

• Dueling: Although his melee profile is solid and he has 5 wounds, his Defense 2 and Resolve 4 cause him to die faster in duels than one would like. I wouldn’t recommend sending him into duels carelessly.
• Warband: Now that Chosen can be taken in other Warbands, the Scion is mainly interesting for his prayers. However, he lacks a strong synergistic element to help in this regard.
• Battlefield Role - The Cults: So far, I have not found any synergy that benefits characters with Battlefield Role among the W’adrhŭn.

The Power of the Ukunfazane:

The Scion knows five impressive prayers:

• Crescendo (Range: Self, Attunement: 4): Gain one Conquest Marker and look at the top three cards of your deck, rearranging them in any order. This allows the Scion to generate two markers in his activation, enabling his regiment to activate immediately with three markers.
• Dissonance (Range: 12", Attunement: 3): Until the end of the round, enemy regiments engaged in melee do not benefit from the Inspired special rule if the selected friendly regiment performs a Battlecry chant. I have yet to find a good situation to use this.
• Cacophony (Range: 12", Attunement: 4): Every success is a hit, and the enemy must also take morale tests. A solid choice when there's nothing else to cast.
• Discordance (Range: 12", Attunement: 4, Scaling): An enemy regiment within 12” cannot hold objectives until the end of the turn (but still contests them as usual). Attunement 4 and no line of sight required make this incredibly strong. Along with Crescendo, this is the Scion’s best spell.
• Resonance (Range: 12", Attunement: 4): All enemy regiments in an objective zone within 12" gain Decay 2 until the end of the round. Unless you're affecting 10+ Stands that haven’t activated yet, it’s mostly useless. Unfortunately, this is almost always the case.

Warband Cults:

A Scion of Conquest always follows the Cult of Conquest, and so do all non-Chosen regiments in his Warband. Chosen regiments have a predefined Cult they must follow.

Optional Artefacts:

The W’adrhŭn have a limited selection of artifacts, many of which are cult- or character-restricted. Except for the Winglord Predator, each character can only equip one artifact.

Cult Artefacts:

• Roar of the Tribe (30 points): Can only be taken if the character follows the Cult of Conquest. The regiment he joins gains the Blessed rule when using Conquest Tier 2 Chant. I see this often with Chosen of Conquest and only consider it valid in that context.
  • Blessed: Once per round, units with Blessed may reroll all failed hit rolls OR all failed defense rolls during a Clash or Charge action (including Impact Attacks). You must declare the use of this ability before rolling dice.

Armors:

• Beads of Death (20 points): Grants the regiment Tenacious 1. My personal favorite for the Scion.
  • Tenacious 1: Treats one failed defense roll as a success.

Weapons:

• Kiss of the Dilosaur (20 points): Enemies must reroll all successful defense and resolve rolls against the Scion’s attacks. This significantly increases his damage potential.

Optional Masteries:

While the artifact selection is limited, the Mastery selection is even more restricted, often limited by Cult, Character, or Warlord status. However, the effects are generally very strong.

• Adaptability (20 points): If the Scion’s regiment chants any Tier II Battlecry, an objective marker within 6" is destroyed. A fantastic ability.
• Vision (30 points): The Scion must be a Warlord and belong to the Cult of Conquest. In return, ALL infantry and cavalry characters in your army gain Flank. Even if only he got Flank, I would still take this for 30 points.
• Drum Beast Rider: The Scion gains the Rider special rule and must ride a Drum Beast in his Warband. Additionally, all his non-Self prayers gain +4" range. Discordance with 16" range is brutal.
  • Rider: This character is not deployed as a separate Stand but is instead attached to a Monster Regiment in his Warband. The character must be placed on the Monster’s base. The regiment is treated as two Stands: one Monster Stand and one Character Stand. If the character dies in a duel, the Monster gains the Broken status, as it has lost half its Stands. The Monster Stand is used for measuring distances and drawing line of sight. Normally, a Monster Stand counts as 3 Stands for scoring, with the character Stand adding to that. This means a Rider model typically counts as 4 Stands for scoring.

General Tactics:

The only positive aspect is that he can produce two markers per round, allowing attached regiments to use Chants immediately. However, I currently can't find a place for the Scion in my lists, even though I'm desperately trying to fit him in somehow. His melee profile and spells are completely valid—an attack spell, preventing the opponent from scoring, generating more tokens. All good. But the reason I don't play him is probably that his exclusive Chosen regiments are now available as Mainstay units anyway, and I can now only use Conquest Chants with Conquest tokens.

This makes it difficult for me to use him effectively as a Warlord, as I can't utilize a third action with the Chosen of Conquest. Simply put, outside of the Chosen of Conquest and himself, we could only generate Conquest markers with a Warlord. The Drumbeast doesn't really help either, since I'm already producing enough markers, and within the warband, it just doesn’t synergize well enough for my taste.

I've played him a few times with a Queen or a Predator Warlord, both of whom had some Light units to generate enough Conquest tokens and get my Chosen onto the field quickly. But I never really liked it because I could instead take so many other cool models, especially the dinos, for the same points, units that fit my playstyle and army much better.

Warbred - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

The big, strong W’adrhŭn, with their impressive muscles, are affectionately called "Warbread" by me, or in German, "Kriegsbrot." A name that, in my opinion, perfectly captures the character of this unit.

Cost

For 180 points, you get a Medium Regiment with Cleave 2, which can be a Mainstay and doesn't just fall over easily. It is unique in the game and therefore quite interesting.

Strengths

• High Attack Power: With Attack 5, Impact 2, and a Clash Value of 3, the Warbread are capable of dealing significant damage to medium-armored enemies in melee.
• Cleave 2: In close combat, they reduce the enemy's armor by 2 with each Clash Attack.
• Juggernaut: Warbread don’t roll for their charge; they always have a charge of Movement + 5". This is important because it cannot be increased or reduced by other rules. This means that even effects like Famine Tier 2 will not make them faster.
• Medium: As a Medium Regiment, they can score objectives and be used flexibly.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanic, but they derive little benefit from the Chants themselves, as Tier 2 War and Famine do not affect them positively.
• Battlefield Role - The Tribes: The Tribes keyword offers minimal synergy, as the Warbread are Brutes. However, they can benefit from Crushing Force via the Chieftain, which enhances their Impact Value. There is a common mistake in the app that lists them as "Friendly Infantry," but this does not appear in the valid PDF. It’s unclear when this error will be corrected.

Weaknesses

• Moderate Defense: With a Defense and Resolve of 3, the Warbread are neither weak nor particularly strong defensively. This is further compounded by the fact that no Character can join them. Therefore, their Resolve can only be increased by Stands. Fortunately, the Warbread have 6 Wounds, which gives them decent durability, allowing them to usually survive two rounds, enabling them to block effectively.
• Movement: With Movement 6, the Warbread are faster than many other infantry units, but for Brutes, this is rather average. Especially compared to other fast units in the W’adrhŭn army, such as those with Vanguard, they feel slower. If they could benefit from the Vanguard of the Chieftain, they would probably be a staple in every list.

General Tactics

The availability of the Warbread is quite good. They are restricted to the Chieftain and Thunderchieftain, which usually isn't a problem. What's interesting is that they can be chosen as Mainstay with the Queen. This has the advantage that the Queen can heal the Warbread, increasing their survivability on the battlefield. These options ensure that the Warbread have a solid presence in many lists. The possibility of acting autonomously is particularly appreciated. They rarely need Chants, and even when they do, it often ends up being just a +1 stand for scoring. While Death Tier 2 or Crushing Force can be useful, the three markers are often not worth it if you want to use the Warbread efficiently.

With a secure Move Charge of over 17", the Warbread can become extremely dangerous for the enemy. Theoretically, it could even be 19" if you use Conquest Tier 1, since this only affects the Movement of the Move Action, and thus works with Juggernaut. But as mentioned, they don't really want to chant.

The predictable movement thanks to Juggernaut can be both a blessing and a curse. If you don't let the Warbread operate alone and always have a supporting regiment by their side, it will be difficult for the enemy to deal with them. On the other hand, it's not always easy to hit an unbound enemy with a Charge Clash, unless you charge directly at them with a Move Charge.

Veterans - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

W’adrhŭn Veterans are the elite and have even received metal shields and weapons from the Cult of War. Some of them look rather rough, but the box offers great opportunities for conversions.

Cost

With 170 points for the base regiment and 50 points per additional stand, Veterans are expensive. However, thanks to their synergy with the Chieftain, they offer good value for their cost.

Strengths

• Flurry (only in the Chieftain Warband): The regiment rerolls all failed hit rolls during Clash actions.
• Vanguard (only in the Chieftain Warband): Allows an additional March action when entering the battlefield from Reinforcements, provided no enemies are within 8". This means the Veterans can move 16" onto the battlefield, reaching most zones immediately.
• Standard Bearer: The standard bearer is free and grants +1 Movement on the second movement action per round, as well as a reroll for Charge rolls.
• Medium: As a medium regiment, Veterans can score objectives and enter the battlefield from round 2.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanic and granting access to many useful abilities.
• Forged in Battle: When activated, this regiment places an additional Chant Marker into the pool. This can be either for its own Cult or a Conquest Marker instead.
• Battlefield Role - The Tribes: The Tribes keyword allows synergy with the Chieftain, including the valuable Vanguard ability, which enables early scoring.

Weaknesses

• Moderate Defense: With a Defense of 2 (+Shield) and Resolve 3, Veterans are not exceptionally durable, though their 6 Wounds provide some compensation.
• Slow: With Movement 5, their mobility is limited, and Chants only partially offset this. However, unlocking Vanguard via a Mastery or the Chieftain makes a huge difference, as this is one of the top 3 rules in the game.
• Chieftain Dependency: Outside of a Chieftain Warband, they lack access to crucial buffs like Flurry, making them significantly less attractive.

General Tactics

Veterans can be used similarly to Braves, but they benefit more from Crushing Force and the Chieftain. Compared to Braves, you pay significantly more points for +1 Clash, +1 Wound, +1 Evasion, and the Forged in Battle ability, which is a stronger version of Aberration. They truly shine when paired with a Chieftain, as Flurry makes their 5 Attacks at Clash 3 extremely reliable.

Two MSU (3 Stands) Regiments

A favorite setup of mine is running two MSU (3 stands) regiments. This allows for early scoring thanks to Vanguard while providing an efficient melee unit. They are resilient enough to withstand light shooting and isolated melee attacks. With War Tier 2 or Famine Tier 2, they can sometimes strike first and deal effective damage while generating useful Chant Markers. However, Braves can often perform a similar role just as well.

Larger Regiments (4-5 Stands)

Another strong option is running larger regiments (4-5 stands). This increases their durability and melee damage output. While the wound-to-cost ratio is better for Braves, Veterans deal significantly more damage. With an attached Chieftain, they become sturdier or can focus on Impact Attacks. Since Crushing Force and Death’s Gaze stack, they can achieve up to 5 Impact Hits per stand when charging.

The downside is that they are tied to the Cult of Death, which limits their mobility and flexibility, as Death Chants do not provide movement buffs. However, this remains a powerful option, as they can immediately benefit from Chants and maximize their Impact Attacks without much setup.

Thunder Rider - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

In the lore, the cavalry consists of young beasts, as the older ones are too stubborn for battle. This is why the models almost fit onto their stands.

Cost:

At 220 points for the regiment and 70 points per stand, we get a heavy impact cavalry unit that is quite expensive but becomes affordable with two key synergies.

Strengths:

• High Offensive Power: With Trample 2, Attack 5, Impact 4, and a Clash value of 3, they can deal significant melee damage against almost any opponent.
• Linebreaker: The regiment ignores the enemy’s Bastion and Shield special rules when attacking with Clash and Impact (but not against attached characters).
• Trample 2: At the end of their activation, an enemy in the front takes 2 automatic hits per Thunder Rider stand, though without special rules or Resolve tests.
• Brutal Impact (2): Enemy defense is reduced by 2 against Impact attacks.
• Devastating Charge: When the Thunder Riders perform a Move Charge, they gain Brutal Impact +1, reaching a total of 3. Combined with Linebreaker, this means that most opponents will not get a defense roll against their attacks unless they have Evasion.
• Juggernaut: Thunder Riders have a fixed Charge Distance of Movement +5", which is not affected by other rules. This makes their battlefield movement predictable and renders Famine Tier 2 useless against them (though Conquest Tier 2 still works).
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanics and granting access to various useful abilities.
• Battlefield Role - The Speakers: Offers small but effective synergies with the Thunder Chieftain Warlord, perfect for impact cavalry.

Weaknesses:

• Moderate Defense: With Defense 3 and Resolve 3, Thunder Riders are not exceptionally durable. However, their 6 wounds per stand and the potential to gain Hardened 1 from the Thunder Chieftain help mitigate this.
• Limited Mobility: With Movement 6, they are slow for heavy cavalry. This becomes even more noticeable compared to other W’adrhŭn units. When they enter play, they often struggle to hold zones immediately and may lag behind the rest of the army.

General Tactics:

Anyone who knows me is aware that since version 2.0, I’ve been highly skeptical of impact cavalry that relies on Impact Hits as their main source of damage. Para Bellum has seemingly done everything to make impact cavalry less attractive, reducing both their movement and damage, which made cavalry, already counterable by Move, Charge, and Hindering Terrain, even harder to use effectively. By increasing their melee stats while weakening Impact, they attempted to shift the focus towards Charge-Clash combat, but this often failed. With only Movement 6 or 7, almost any Movement 5 regiment in the game could simply Move Charge into them first, locking them down and rendering them ineffective.

This is not the case with Thunder Riders. For the first time, Para Bellum has truly embraced the Move Charge mechanic, rewarding it with a substantial bonus. If we also consider the buffs from the Thunder Chieftain, Thunder Riders suddenly become affordable and highly effective.

The Thunder Chieftain grants Flank to all Thunder Rider regiments in his warband, allowing them to safely enter the battlefield in Round 3. If the Thunder Chieftain Warlord is present, they also gain Shock, increasing their Clash value by +1 on the charge. This means they now have Clash 4, and with their 12 Impact hits, they can deliver 8 wounds against most opponents (plus additional Resolve damage).

On top of this, they still have Trample, meaning even the heaviest armored units, such as Talos, do not want to be on the receiving end of a Move Charge from Thunder Riders. Importantly, the Chieftain does not need to be attached to the unit, but his Cleave 2 also allows him to free himself from melee engagements.

One of the most popular options is to field a Thunder Chieftain alongside two regiments of Thunder Riders and give him the Resilience mastery. This grants all Thunder Rider regiments Hardened 1, making them more resistant to Armor Piercing and Cleave attacks.

Even without the Chieftain's buffs (who costs 150 points without upgrades), Thunder Riders are still frequently used. This is largely due to Linebreaker and potentially Brutal Impact 3, which are particularly useful against City States and Old Dominion.

A single 4-stand regiment is often used as support or for tying up enemies. Thanks to their high wound pool, other W’adrhŭn units can assist them in combat. However, this forces a slower playstyle, which W’adrhŭn armies do not always prefer. Their 12" deployment move can feel restrictive, and their predictable movement (due to Juggernaut) can be both a blessing and a curse. For this reason, it is highly recommended to have a second regiment supporting the Thunder Riders—either to free them from combat or to "catch" potential targets with a Move Charge.

Tontorr - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

Some things you see with your eyes. Others, you see with your heart. — The Land Before Time.Here we have Littlefoot, only fully grown and grumpy.

Cost:

At 330 points, the Tontorr is one of the most expensive models in the game and fairly priced.

Strengths:

• 16 Attacks: Thanks to its special rules, the Tontorr usually lands 11 hits, making it a serious threat in combat.
• Cleave 1: In melee, the Tontorr’s Clash attacks reduce the opponent’s armor by 1.
• Relentless Blows: Every 1 rolled in a Clash action counts as two hits.
• Linebreaker: With Clash and Impacts, the regiment ignores the enemy’s Bastion and Shield special rules. However, this does not apply to attached regiments or riders.
• Impact 6 & Brutal Impact 2: On the Charge (if it happens), the Tontorr delivers 6 Impact hits with -2 armor for the enemy. Sounds great, but it’s hindered by its Clash 2.
• Trample 8: At the end of its activation, an enemy in the front suffers 8 auto-hits without special rules and without requiring Resolve tests.
• Inspired: Stands in this regiment, including character stands with a rider, always benefit from the Inspire special rule, granting them +1 Clash for Clash actions.
• Fearless: Immune to Terrifying.
• Oblivious: For every two failed Resolve tests, the regiment suffers only 1 damage (rounded up).
• Durability: While D3 R3 is only moderate, Oblivious and a massive 26 Wounds allow the Tontorr to stay in the fight for a long time.
• Towering Presence: The stands in this regiment count as Size 4, meaning the long-necked behemoth can always see and be seen—which also makes it a prime target for ranged attacks.
• March of Giants: The March characteristic and distance of this regiment cannot be negatively affected by abilities, special rules, or terrain. This is rarely useful, as only two abilities in the game currently impact movement negatively.
• 6 Stands for Seizing: A Tontorr counts as 6 stands when contesting a zone. Combined with Chants, it almost always outmatches opponents.
• Chants: Generates a Chant Marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanics and granting access to many useful abilities.
• Chant: Dominating Presence: This Tontorr-exclusive Battlecry is chanted with three markers from any cult, making the Tontorr count as 8 stands and ignoring effects that would count it as fewer (though none exist yet).

Weaknesses:

• Limited Mobility: With Movement 6, it’s not particularly fast for a heavy unit. While Famine Chant can occasionally enable a Charge, it mostly relies on Move Charge.
• Expensive: For the price of one Tontorr, you could field two other regiments, so it’s important to weigh whether the investment is worth it.
• Battlefield Role - The Cults: This keyword currently offers no synergies within the faction.

General Tactics:

Beyond the psychological impact of a Tontorr on the battlefield, it’s important to remember that it can hold a zone for two to three rounds against even the strongest regiments. However, it’s crucial to ensure that Impact Cavalry like the Crimson Tower doesn’t get a Move Charge against it.

Don’t hesitate to use Dead Tier 2 or Conquest Tier 2 to keep it stable. Dead 2 is particularly great, as the reroll 6s and +1 Stand effect is more than sufficient against many threats. However, the true defense of the Tontorr is simply its 26 Wounds.

Due to its lack of a reroll for Charges, it usually relies on Move Charge, even with Famine Tier 2. A failed Charge, especially one that leaves it outside a zone, can cost you the game. Before declaring a Charge on a 2+, always consider: "What happens if I fail this?" If the answer is "I’m screwed," then don’t do it. However, once engaged in melee, the Tontorr can take on and defeat most regiments in the game, except for Incarnate Blocks. But since it’s often twice as expensive as its opponents, that’s simply to be expected.

A rider can make it even tankier by giving it Tenacious, adding an extra stand—potentially making a Tontorr worth up to 9 stands. While Tenacious is a strong addition, I personally prefer running it without a rider.

What the Tontorr absolutely needs, however, is a supporting regiment—either to protect it from devastating Charges or to tie up enemies so that the Tontorr can successfully land its own attacks. Otherwise, it struggles to reach combat effectively.

Slingers - W'adrhŭn Guide (english)

The W’adrhŭn Slingers, alongside the Stryx, are among the most challenging units to assemble with four models on a stand, nespecially with their impressive feather adornments. However, in-game, they are fearsome slingers and a vital component of the army.

Cost:

At 150 points, with additional stands costing 50 points each, Slingers are considered extremely cost-efficient. Many opponents might see them as underpriced, given their damage potential and versatility.

Strengths:

• Best Ranged Unit in the Game: Barrage 3, Volley 3, and the Torrential Fire ability grant them devastating firepower.
• Torrential Fire: This ability grants additional hits based on successful rolls (rounded up), significantly boosting their output at 9".
• Standard Bearer: Comes free of charge and provides +1 Movement on the second movement action per turn, as well as a reroll for charge rolls.
• Chants: Generates a chant marker, supporting the W’adrhŭn mechanics and providing access to many useful abilities.
• Singing Bullets: When a Battlecry is used, the optimal range of the Slingers extends to 18". This may seem minor, but it’s a huge advantage.
• Battlefield Role - The Tribes: The Tribes keyword allows synergy with the Chieftain, including access to the powerful Vanguard ability.

Weaknesses:

• Low Durability: With 5 wounds and Defense 1, they can barely survive attacks before being wiped out. Even Resolve 3 doesn’t help much.
• Reliant on Chants: Slingers depend heavily on a chant to operate at peak efficiency. However, since many W’adrhŭn regiments no longer require a Battlecry, this becomes a planning issue. In the late game, this reliance can be problematic when fewer cards and markers are available.

General Tactics:

Many W’adrhŭn players were upset about the Slinger changes after the update. The loss of Flint Knappers, one Barrage, and the third action option were seen by some as too much of a nerf. However, the new Slingers are an absurdly strong unit that no longer requires heavy character investment and, thanks to their Battlefield Role - The Tribes, have easy access to Vanguard. The fact that they can also be taken as a restricted choice under the Chieftain is just the cherry on top. But let’s start with Singing Bullets.

At first glance, Singing Bullets seems minor, but when you do the math, it’s incredibly strong. Normally, units get one extra shot at half range, but Slingers can already use this bonus and Torrential Fire at 18". This means that an MSU (3 stands) without aiming gets 13 shots at Volley 3, averaging 9-11 hits. That’s a lot for 150 points! But it gets even better. If the opponent has Cover or Loose Formation, the number of shots is halved, but due to rounding rules, each stand reduces Barrage to 2 and then still gets +1 from the short-range bonus. This means 9 shots against these targets, still resulting in 6-8 hits without aiming.

Slingers can aim fairly often because they can be placed in the Chieftain’s warband, declared as a Warlord, or benefit from Drive. These rules allow them to gain Vanguard, meaning they can deploy up to 19" onto the board. From turn 2 onward, they can aim and shoot at anything that moves within 12". This is devastating, considering most zones are 15" away.

But there’s more. Singing Bullets also inherit the effect chosen with W’adrhŭn markers. In Conquest, for example, this means +2 Movement. In short, from turn 2 onward, they can land a massive number of hits wherever they want, as long as Singing Bullets is active.

Currently, two main builds are common:

1. One or two MSUs, potentially led by a Predator to boost firepower or simply placed in a Chieftain’s warband.
2. A 4-stand unit + Predator, maximizing firepower. This setup reliably kills two knights per round but requires good protection, few opponents will willingly step into their fire zone.

Personally, I have also experimented with three MSU Slinger regiments, but this carries the risk of not always activating Singing Bullets, making them significantly less effective. As always, the number of Slingers played depends on personal preference, but one large or two smaller regiments are always a solid choice.