Idoneth Deepkin might be controversial on tabletops everywhere, but there’s something to be said for their ferocity. Come see the best way to make the most out of this army, by taking it to 2000 points.
The last of the sea elves are here. And love or hate these models they are going to be swimming across tabletops at your FLGS. Let’s dive right into the water and look at building a heavy cavalry list that uses the Tides of Death table to its advantage.
Let’s start with their allegiance ability. You are getting unique spells, artifacts, command abilities, and of course the tides of death table.
- Battle Round 1) All your units are considered in cover
- Battle Round 2) Your units can run and shoot or charge in the same turn
- Battle Round 3) Your units attack first in the combat phase
- Battle Round 4) All units can retreat and shoot or charge in the same turn
- Battle Round 5+) Start at round 1 again.
We build into the Death Tide ability by using fast moving hard hitting troops to get into combat quickly. First up is the Royal Council battalion, which allows you to add 3 Move to any Idoneth Deepkin units within 3 inches of your general. It’s also made up of 3 leaders so it fills out 3 of 4 of your leader slots.
- Volturnos (280 points): Leader 1 of 6
- Isharann Tidecaster (100 points): Leader 2 of 6
- Isharann Soulscryer (100 points): Leader 3 of 6
- Royal Council (140 points): Battalion
Volturnos: Move 14 (fly), 3+ save, 8 Bravery, 8 Wounds. They’ve got three different melee weapons. The first is Astra Solus: Range 1, 5 attacks, hitting and wounding on 3+, with -1 rend for D3 damage. (On a hit roll of 6+ it becomes -5 Rend). Uasall’s Fangs: Range 2, 3 attacks, hitting and wounding on a 3+, with -1 rend for 1 damage. Uasall’s Tail: Range 2, 3 attacks, hitting and wounding on a 3+, for 2 damage. This adds 1 to Bravery off all Idoneth Deepkin units within 18 inches and lets them re roll hit rolls of 1. It ignores any spells cast on him on a 3+. When he charges on a 2+ he deals D3 mortal wounds to the nearest enemy unit. Finally, his command ability lets you add 1 to Attacks characteristics of 3 friendly Idoneth Deepkin units during the third battle round.
Isharann Tidecaster: Move 6, 6+ Save, 7 Bravery, 5 Wounds. Staff attack: Range 1, 2 attacks, hitting and wounding on a 3+, for D3 damage. He ignores the first wound allocated to him each turn, and may also let you start the tides of death table backwards at the beginning of the game (if he is your general). He can cast and unbind a single spell. Riptide is the unique spell. Riptide: Casting value 7, range 18, they subtract 1 from all hit rolls, and suffer D3 mortal wounds at the start of your following hero phase.
Isharann Soulscryer: Move 6, 6+ Save, 7 Bravery, 5 Wounds. Missile Weapon is Scryfish Shoal: Range 18, 8 attacks, hitting and wounding on a 5+, for 1 damage. Finger-claw is melee weapon: Range 1, 3 attacks, hitting on a 3+, wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage. You can set this unit along with up to two other Idoneth Deepkin units off the battlefield to start the game. You can set them up at the end of any of your movement phases anywhere wholly within 6 inches of table edge, but no more than 9 inches away from enemy units. Pick an enemy unit within 24 inches and add 3 to charge rolls for friendly Idoneth Deepkin units within 12 inches of that unit. However, each unit must end there charge within a half an inch from the enemy unit selected.
Royal Council: Need 1 Akhelian King, 1 Isharann Tidecaster, and 1 Isharann Soulscryer. Gives your King a command ability that when the tidecaller and soulscyrer are within 3 inches of you general he can pick 3 friendly Idoneth Deepkin Units within 12 and add 3 to their Move.
At 620 points, you have plenty of points to build your battlines out of and by having the Akhelian King be your general you have three different battleline options. For this we are going to stick with the fast-moving theme and take 3 units of 6 Akhelian Morrarr Guard.
- 6 Akhelian Morrarr Guard (320 points): Battleline 1 of 2 required
- 6 Akhelian Morrarr Guard (320 points): Battleline 2 of 2 required
- 6 Akhelian Morrarr Guard (320 points): Battleline 3 of 2 required
Akhelian Morrsarr Guard: Move 14(fly), 4+ Save, 6 Bravery, 4 Wounds. Have three different melee attacks, the first being a Voltspear: Range 2, 2 attacks, hitting and wounding on a 3+, for 1 damage. (On charges becomes rend -2 and 2 damage). Fangmoras Maw: Range 1, 1 attack, hitting and wounding on a 3+, for D3 damage. Fangmora’s Tail: Range 2, D3 attacks, hitting and wounding on a 3+, for 1 damage. Once per battle at the start of a combat phase you can roll a dice for each model in the unit, on 3+ deal a mortal wound to an enemy unit within 3 inches and on a 6+ deal D3. Finally the leader gets +1 attack with his spear, the standard lets you re roll battleshock tests, and the musician lets you re roll charge rolls.
That brings you up to 1580, leaving you 420 left to play with. You have some options like a giant turtle with a harpoon launcher on the back, but personally I would go with Eidolon of Mathlann, Aspect of the Storm. This is a heavy hitter that can keep up with your guard, hits hard, and is a good support character.
- Eidolon of Mathlann, Aspect of the Storm (400 points): Leader 4 of 6
Eidolon of Mathlann, Aspect of the Storm: Move 12 (fly), Save 3+, 10 Bravery, 12 Wounds. Has 3 different melee weapons the first being Fuathtar: Range 2, 4 attacks, hitting on a 3+, wounding on a 2+, with -2 rend for 2 damage. Second attack is Crulhook: Range 1, 4 attacks, hitting on 2+, wounding on 3+, with -1 rend for 1 damage. His third attack is Stormshoal: Range 3, 2D6 attacks, hitting and wounding on a 4+, for 1 damage. When he charges you can re roll hit rolls of 1 and add +1 damage to Fuathtar as well as heal D3 wounds. He allows you to re roll wound rolls of 1 for all Idoneth Deepkin units within 9 inches of him. Finally at the start of combat phase he can choose a enemy hero with 8 wounds or less within 3 inches and force them to subtract 1 from their hit rolls.
Finally you get a free Gloomtide Shipwreck that you can either place as a whole model or two parts anywhere on the battlefield
- Gloomtide Shipwreck (0 points): Scenery Piece
Gloomtide Shipwreck: Each time a wound or mortal wound is allocated to an Idoneth Deepkin Unit wholly within 6 inches of this terrain on a 6+ it is ignored. Non Idoneth Deepking units within 3 inches of the shipwreck take a mortal wound in your hero phase on a 4+ (D3 Mortal wounds if it is a 6+)
Loadouts: For your two artifacts I would go with giving the Eidolon the black pearl to give him a 6+ save against all wounds, and your Tidecaster the Kraken Tooth for a possible instant kill on an enemy unit. The bonus spell for the Tidecaster I would give him either Vorpal Maelstrom or Arcane Corrasion for some additional mortal wound output. For rituals use them as you see fit, deny enemy models fly might help you get the charge in before them, healing is always nice or denying cover.
Finally, for an enclave I would select the Nautilar which lets you reroll failed hit rolls for units that charged, and gives you a unique spell that casts on a 4, range 12, and reduces the rend characteristic of a unit by 1.
Tactics: If you can give priority to your opponent and set yourself up for turn 1 or turn 2 charges (if you can get the double turn even better). Then on turn 3 you are swinging first in combat anyways which is a huge bonus. Then turn 4 if you can retreat and charge again to get the better attacks with your guard as a final push to finish off any remaining units. You do however need to be careful If your guard is charged and bogged down you need to get them out ASAP, it can be easy to get them stuck in a high wound mob of troops.
There you have it 1980 points of incredibly fast moving Idoneth Deepkin units. You need to make sure you get in as many charges as you possibly can to take advantage of the Morrarr Guard so play to the Tides of Death table and make it work for you.
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About the Author: Travis Perkins
