The General's Handbook 2019 goes to pre-orders tomorrow morning. Here is a preview on Matched Play
via the Warhammer Community
https://www.warhammer-community.com/2019/06/14/the-generals-handbook-2019-major-points-changesgw-homepage-post-2/
The latest General’s Handbook is almost upon us – and with it, a new season of matched play! Today, we’re previewing the latest Pitched Battle profiles to help you plan your lists, with a look at big changes for several major factions.
Grand Alliance: Chaos
Beasts of Chaos
Now at only 70 points, Gors are a very tempting option for Beasts of Chaosgenerals. A unit with beastshields makes for a quick and points-efficient screen and an interesting alternative to the ever-popular Ungors.
Tzaangor Enlightened on Discs of Tzeentch have had a little bump in points. A key element of many top-tier Warhammer Age of Sigmar lists, including a multiple tournament-winner written by Warhammer Community’s very own Dan, these fast-moving shock units are still great, but now, at 160 points, are less of an obvious pick over Dragon Ogors and Bullgor.
Disciples of Tzeentch
Tzeentch can look forward to sweeping reductions across the board – most appealingly to Horrors of all varieties! Pink Horrors in particular, at 180 points for 10, make an excellent Battleline unit for magic-wielding armies.
At 140 points, Flamers of Tzeentch are well worth a second look. With close-combat, monster-focused armies currently rampaging across the tournament scene, these tricky ranged units could well prove the perfect counter thanks to their powerful shooting attacks…
Everchosen
Archaon is undergoing something of a renaissance in Warhammer Age of Sigmar at the moment, proving to be a popular and powerful pick in lists for Khorne and Slaanesh which take full advantage of his Mortal, Daemon and Chaos God keywords to pull off some incredible combos. Archaon remains unchanged in this year’s Pitched Battle Profiles, but Varanguard have received a drop of 20 points.
If you’re fielding an Everchosen army, this makes for a considerable saving that can be spent on a supporting allied Hero like a Bloodstoker,who’ll give Khorne-marked Everchosen units re-rolls to wound and a bonus on their run and charge rolls!
Maggotkin of Nurgle
The Lord of Afflictions, Pusgoyle Blightlords and their associated warscroll battalion, the Affliction Cyst have all received drops in points, each costing only 200! Fast, durable and pretty nasty in close combat, these daemonic heavy cavalry are a very appealing option in a Nurgle army looking to nullify key enemy units and take ground.
Slaves to Darkness
Chaos Marauder Horsemen have been given a small but welcome drop to 80 points. These guys are fast, flexible and can be geared up as a ranged unit with javelins or as a nifty flanker with melee weapons. Remember, as these guys have the keyword, they’re usable in your Khorne, Nurgle, Tzeentch and Slaanesh forces too!
Chaos Chariots have been given a massive regiment discount, with a unit of 3 costing only 210 points. For 21 Wounds with a 4+ save, excellent mobility and enough offensive bite to threaten ranged units and war machines, this is a steal in Chaos armies of all types, not just Slaves to Darkness.
Grand Alliance: Death
Legions of Nagash
Dire Wolves are an incredibly popular Battleline choice in Legions of Nagash forces, thanks to their speed and efficient points-per-wound ratio. As such, they’ve been given a small points increase, up to 70, making Skeleton Warriors and Zombies more tantalising choices.
Grave Guard have been dropped in points considerably, and now are taken in units of 10 minimum. Similarly, Blood Knights have also had a noticeable reduction in points, now costing only 200 for a unit of 5!
Nighthaunt
Grimghast Reapers are a star unit in Nighthaunt and Legions of Nagash armies alike, but having increased to 160 points for a unit of 10, are less of a clear choice over similar Nighthaunt units that have seen reductions, like Dreadscythe Harridans and Hexwraiths.
Lady Olynder, Mortarch of Grief has also been reduced in points – as if you needed another excuse to start a Legion of Grief army!
Grand Alliance: Destruction
Beastclaw Raiders
It’s pretty much all good news for the Beastclaw Raiders, with a number of significant drops in points! The Mournfang Pack – a staple of Beastclaw Raiders lists – now only costs 140 points for starters, while both Stonehorn Beastriders and Thundertusk Beastriders have also been discounted. This means you’ll be spending less on your Battleline, allowing you to squeeze in more allies or another command point.
Ironjawz
Great news for all fans of smashing stuff – both the Megaboss on Maw-krusha and Gordrakk, the Fist of Gork now cost fewer points! What’s more, both Orruk Ardboys and Orruk Brutes have been discounted too, meaning chances are you’ve got a few more points in your list to play with.
Bonesplitterz and Gutbusters
No changes here – your Bonesplitterz and Gutbusters armies are just as deadly as they always were!
Grand Alliance: Order
Darkling Covens
As in previous General’s Handbooks, the latest edition contains allegiance abilities for the Darkling Covens, as well as some very welcome points reductions! Bleakswords now only cost 90 points for a unit of 10, while the Sorceress on Black Dragon is a very reasonable 260 points.
Daughters of Khaine
The Daughters of Khaine are a superb army and a popular pick in the tournament world – largely thanks to the one-two punch of large units of Witch Aelves combined with a Hag Queen. With Witch Elves up to 120 Points, and the Hag Queen up to 90, both are very viable picks, but this should help to balance the Daughters of Khaine against other armies. Similarly, Khinerai Heartrenders – an incredibly popular choice in all Order forces for their ability to grab objectives and harass foes at range – have increased in points.
Blood Stalkers, on the other hand, have been discounted to 140 points – if you’re looking to deal some damage at a distance, they’re a very solid pick.
Devoted of Sigmar
No major changes for the Devoted of Sigmar, barring the Witch Hunter, which now costs a mere 40 points! He’s still a cracking little killer of Wizards and Daemons, and well worth considering if you’ve got a space in your Order list.
Dispossessed
For the Dispossessed, Warriors have had a small increase in points, and are now 90 points for 10. However, the Runelord, Unforged and Warden King have all been discounted! The former is a very solid allied pick in an Order force, with his Rune of Spellbreaking ability working as an excellent counter to key enemy Wizards.
Eldritch Council
No major changes here, barring a reduction in points for Swordmasters! If you field an Eldritch Council army, you’ll probably have enough points for an Endless Spell, while a full unit of 40 Swordmasters now fits neatly into your Allies allowance at 380 points.
Free Peoples
While the Freeguild General on Griffon – a fast-moving and deadly close combat unit – has increased in points to 280, both Demigryph Knights and Freeguild Greatswords are down in points, giving you some excellent melee choices to complement your Crossbowmen and Handgunners.
Idoneth Deepkin
A deadly unit in matched play, Morrsarr Guard have seen a small increase in points, now costing 170 for a unit of 3. On the other hand, Idoneth Deepkin players can look forward to some reductions across their army, with the Akhelian Leviadon and both Namarti Thralls and Namarti Reavers having seen cuts.
Kharadron Overlords
Like aether-craft? Well, good news! The Grundstok Gunhauler, Arkanaut Frigate and Arkanaut Ironclad are all down in points in the latest General’s Handbook! You’ll have the points for even more firepower in your Skyfleet now, particularly with Skywardens and Grundstok Thunderers having also seen reductions.
Order Draconis
While the Dragonlord now costs 380 points, most increases to points in Order Draconis lists will be offset by the reduction of Dragon Blades to 120 points.
Phoenix Temple
The Phoenix Temple have seen some key changes in this year’s General’s Handbook, with separate Pitched Battle Profiles for Flamespyre and Frostheart Phoenixes with and without Anointed riders. Skip the Anointed and you’ll get a considerable discount on points, making these powerful monsters easier to fit into your lists.
Scourge Privateers
The Scourge Privateers remain largely unchanged for points, barring some new massive regiments discounts! A unit of 40 Black Ark Corsairs is now only 240 points – which given their excellent volume of attacks and respectable saves is very reasonable indeed!
Seraphon
Seraphon briefly dominated the game at the start of the new edition last year, as players discovered just how powerful their new summoning mechanics were! While they’re less prevalent than they were, Seraphon remain a solid army, and the General’s Handbook 2019 consolidates that with some welcome points changes.
Saurus Guard and Saurus Warriors have both been reduced, letting you save points on the core of your collection, while Skinks have seen a small increase. Fans of massive monsters will be pleased to know that both the Stegadon and Troglodon have also seen reductions, with the latter costing a mere 140 points!
Stormcast Eternals
Stormcasts have seen a whole host of changes that help to balance their vast pool of units against each other and the other armies in the game. Evocators, for instance, have increased in points, while all other forms of Paladins – that’s Decimators, Protectors and Retributors – have seen some generous cuts.
Nearly all Vanguard units have seen cuts, meaning this chamber now competes strongly with Sacrosanct Chamber-themed armies – if you’re looking to field a shooting force of Stormcast Eternals, Vanguard-Hunterscould be a very appealing option…
Wanderers
At only 160 points, Sisters of the Watch are a more tempting unit than ever before! Nearly the entire Wanderers range has seen similar reductions, with Wild Riders now costing a mere 100 points and Wildwood Rangersnow at 120.
Monstrous Arcanum
This year’s General’s Handbook includes points for nearly all of Forge World’s Warhammer Age of Sigmar range! Tamurkhan’s Horde and the Legion of Azgorh remain unchanged, but there are some gems to look out for in Monstrous Arcanum. At only 540 points, and with a new Battletome to play with, the Exalted Greater Daemon of Khorne could well make for a deadly centrepiece for your army. Meanwhile, Nighthaunt forces may want to check out the Mourngul, which now costs 20 points less.
Endless Spells
Endless Spells have proven to be a core part of the matched play world for Warhammer Age of Sigmar, and changes to their points promise to shake up some powerful lists considerably. The Geminids of Uhl-Gysh – a staple of a vast variety of lists – now cost 60 points, but the Purple Sun of Shyishis now a mere 50 points, making it a very appealing option indeed!
And More!
We’re committed to keeping Warhammer Age of Sigmar as awesome as possible, and so, with this year’s General’s Handbook, we’ve gone the extra mile. Usually, books published in the immediate lead-up to the General’s Handbook would not see points changes. However, to make sure your Pitched Battles are as balanced as possible, we’ll be releasing an early (and free) points update to the most recent battletomes – for reference, that’s Skaven, Blades of Khorne, Fyreslayers, Hedonites of Slaanesh, and Flesh-eater Courts. Keep an eye out for this – and the General’s Handbook 2019 FAQ – in early July.
