Want to take your Seraphon army to the next level points wise? Check out how their new Battleforce bundle can take your army to 2000 points!
Turkey Day is done, and it is time to shift our attention to those sweet AoS Christmas bundles GW is releasing.
I have written previously about all of them together and my thoughts on which ones I think are the best value, so be sure to check out that post if you’re an aspiring Age of Sigmar general.
Let’s continue by diving into each one though, and see how we can use these as springboards to create a 1000 and 2000-point army.
Last time we looked at my favorite, the Slaves to Darkness one, so this time we’ll focus on the Seraphon battleforce.
This box of dinosaurs riding dinosaurs shooting lasers is a really great value and gives you a great starting point for a Seraphon army. It’s also perfect to add to your existing army for a great value!
Box contents:
- 1 Bastiladon: 280 points (Behemoth 1 of 2)
- 1 Troglodon: 160 points (Behemoth 2 of 2)
- 1 Skink Starpriest: 80 points (Leader 1 of 4)
- 3 Terradon Riders: 120 points (No Unit Type)
- 3 Ripperdactul Riders : 140 points (No Unit Type)
- 24 Skinks: 120 points (60 per 10), (Battleline 1 of 2)
- Saurus Oldblood on Foot: 120 points (Leader 2 of 4)
- Total 1020 points
Skinks: Move 8, 10 Bravery, 1 Wound, 6+ Save
They can be armed with a variety of weapons the first being a Javelin: Range 8, 1 attack, 5+ to hit, 4+ to wound, for 1 damage. The other missile weapon choice is a Boltspitter: Range 16, 1 attack, hitting and wounding on a 5+, for 1 Damage. For melee, if armed with a Javelin: 1 attack, hitting on a 6+, wounding on a 5+, for 1 damage. Or if armed with a Boltspitter it’s 1 attack, hitting on a 5+, wounding on a 6+ for 1 damage.
Some are armed with clubs: 1 attack, hitting on a 5+, wounding on a 4+, for 1 damage. If armed with shields they ignore rend unless it is -2 or better. When there is 20+ models they get a +1 to hit and at 30+ models its +2 during the shooting phase and the leader makes 2 attacks in the combat phase. Finally, in the combat phase rather than pile and attacking they can withdraw and move up to 8 inches if they end their movement at least 3 away from opponents.
Skink StarPriest: Move 8, Save 5+, 10 Bravery, and 4 Wounds
He carries a dagger: Range 1″, 3 Attacks, Hitting on a 3+, Wounding on a 4+, with -1 Rend, for 1 Damage. In your Hero phase this unit can target a friendly Seraphon unit within 8″ and make it so their wound rolls with bit and jaws attacks of 6 deal double damage.
The Starpriest is a Wizard and can cast/unbind 1 spell a turn with his unique spell being Starlight: Casting Value 5, Range 20″, if it is a friendly Seraphon unit subtract 1 from hit rolls that target them, if it is an enemy unit then that unit subtracts 1 from their hit rolls. If the unit is a Chaos Daemon it also suffers D3 mortal wounds.
Bastiladon: Move 5, 3+ Save, 10 Bravery, 8 Wounds
If using a Solar Engine is has 2 missile weapons the first being a Beam: Range 20″, 2D6 Attacks, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, with -1 Rend, for 2 Damage. (3 Damage against Chaos Daemons) Then Javelins: Range 8″, 4 Attacks, Hitting on a 5+, Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage. Finally his melee tail attack: Range 2″, 3 Attacks, Hitting and Wounding on a 3+, with -1 Rend, for D3 Damage.
If you choose to use a snake totem instead of the searing beam you instead pick up to 6 enemy units within 8″ and mark each one with a dice. Then roll 12 dice to see where the snakes go, for each roll that matches a unit that unit suffers a mortal wound. The Bastiladon ignores rend from opponents attacks and shrugs off mortal wounds on a 4+.
Troglodon: Move (Damage Table 10″ down to 6″), 4+ Save, 10 Bravery, 12 Wounds
Has a spittle missile weapon: Range (Damage Table 18″ down to 6″), D3 Attacks, Hitting and Wounding on a 3+, for 2 Damage. For melee he has a bite: Range 2″, 6 Attacks, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding (Damage Table 2+ up to 5+), for 2 Damage. Claws: Range 2″, 2 Attacks, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, for 2 Damage.
Then the Rod: Range 1″, 1 Attack, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 5+, for 1 Damage. This model can unbind 1 spell a turn, all enemies within 8″ of this model subtract 1 from their Bravery, and if this model hits with the Spittle attack and then charges that unit you can add 3″ to its charge.
Terradon Riders: Move 14 (fly), 5+ Save, 10 Bravery, 3 Wounds
They have either a javelin or bola missile weapon, the javelin is Range 10″, 2 Attacks, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, for 1 Damage. Bolas: Range 5″, 1 Attack, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage. Melee they have beaks: Range 1″, 4 Attacks, Hitting and Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage. Then Skyblades: Range 1″, 3 Attacks, Hitting on a 3+, Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage. (Only on a Master of the Skies)
He can re-roll failed hit rolls against flyers. Once per game, the unit can drop rocks over a unit they move across and roll a dice for each Terradon Rider, on a 4+ the rock deals D3 mortal wounds to the unit. At the end of the movement phase, you can declare this unit is dive attacking and are considered at ground level for measuring, but they get to re-roll failed hit and wound rolls in the combat phase. Finally, the leader is either an Alpha who gets a +1 to hit with their ranged weapon or a Master of the Skys who also carries a skyblade.
Ripperdactul Riders: Move 14″ (fly), 5+ Save, 10 Bravery, 3 Wounds
They have 3 different melee weapons the first is spears: Range 2″, 1 Attacks, Hitting and Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage. Then claws: Range 1″, 3 Attacks, Hitting and Wounding on a 3+, for 1 Damage. Finally beak attack: Range 1″, 1 Attack, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, for 1 Damage. These models ignore rend unless it is -2 or better. At the end of the movement phase you can declare this unit is dive attacking and are considered at ground level for measuring, but they get to re-roll failed hit and wound rolls in the combat phase.
Each time a beak attack hits roll another beak attack until it misses, then roll that many wound rolls. The leader of this unit makes 2 attacks with the spear rather than just 1. Finally in your first hero phase you can set up a Blot Toad anywhere on the battlefield for each unit of Ripperdactul Riders and in each movement phase roll a D6 and move the toad that many inches. If an enemy unit is within 2″ of a Blot Toad when the Ripperdactul Riders attack the Vicious Beak attack is 3 Attacks rather than just one.
Saurus Oldblood on Foot: Move 5, 4+ Save, 10 Bravery, 7 Wounds
Can use one of the following weapons: Maul: Range 1″, 2 Attacks, Hitting on a 3+, Wounding on a 4+, with -1 Rend, for D3 Damage. Warblade: Range 1″, 4 Attacks, Hitting and Wounding on a 3+, for 1 Damage. Spear: Range 2″, 4 Attacks, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, with -1 Rend, for 1 Damage. Or a Greatblade: Range 1″, 2 Attacks, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, with -1 Rend, for 2 Damage.
Then he has a shield attack: Range 1″, 1 Attack, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, for 1 Damage. He ignores rend unless it is -2 or better, and all Saurus within 5″ of him can re-roll wound rolls of 1. His Command Ability is Paragon of Order: Range 10″, all friendly Seraphon units, and it allows them to pick a model within that unit and reform around one of its models as long as they maintain unit coherency and stay outside of 3″ from enemy units.
This army is a complete 1000-point army if you break the two units of skinks into two blocks of 10, that is some amazing value right there. Also, you are getting two heavy hitters with the Bastiladon and the Troglodon along with a ton of mobility in the flyers. I absolutely love this box set and it is perfect for someone getting into the hobby or a person that wants to start a new army.
Building it up to 2000 points is relatively easy and cheap as well, for starters you want to max out the unit of skinks by buying another 16 of them and then picking up the start collecting Seraphon Box.
The 16 skinks you will want to buy off eBay or a marketplace group and will run you about 20 bucks, and a start collecting box will run you another 75 bucks or so.
- 40 skinks (rather than 20): 240 points (Battleline 1 of 3)
- Oldblood on Carnosaur: 260 points (Behemoth 3 of 4, Leader 3 of 6)
- 8 Saurus Knights: 180 points (90 per 5), (Battleline 2 of 3)
- 12 Saurus Warriors: 100 points, (Battleline 3 of 3)
- New total: 1680
Oldblood on Carnosaur: Move (Damage Table 10″ down to 6″) 12 Wounds, 10 Bravery, 4+ Save
He has a sunbolt missile weapon: Range 18″, D6 Attacks, Hitting on a 3+, Wounding on a 4+ (2+ if the target is a Chaos Daemon), with -1 Rend, for 1 damage. His melee attacks are a Spear: Range 2″, 3 Attacks, Hitting and Wounding on a 3+, with -1 Rend, for D3 Damage. Claws: Range 2″, 2 Attacks, Hitting (Damage Table 3+ up to 5+), Wounding on a 3+, for 2 Damage. (If your target is a Monster and the claw attack hits twice you can add 2 to your jaws hit roll) Jaws: Range 2″, Attacks (Damage Table 5 down to 1), Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, with -1 Rend, for 3 Damage.
Once this model has killed an enemy with its jaws attack it can run and charge in the same turn for the rest of the battle. When your opponent rolls a Battleshock test for any units within 8″ of this model roll a dice as well, if your roll is higher than their roll an additional D3 models flee from that unit. Finally, the command ability is Ancient Warlord: Used in hero phase, targets all Saurus Hero within 20″, pick one of their weapons in the combat phase and add 2 to its Attacks characteristic.
Saurus Knights: Move 7, 5+ Save, 10 Bravery, and 2 Wounds
Have either a lance or blade, with the blade having: Range 1″, 1 Attack, 3+ hit and wound, for 1 damage. The lance: Range 1″, 1 Attack, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, for 1 Damage. (On a charge, wound rolls of 6 for the lance deal a mortal wound as well) Shield Attack: Range 1″, 1 Attack, Hitting on a 5+, Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage. Then the cold one’s bite attack: Range 1″, 2 Attacks, Hitting on a 3+, Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage.
The Shield ignores all rend unless it is -2 or better. Finally, the leader has a bonus lance or blade attack, the musician can double the knights move rather than run or charging, and the banner adds 1 to battleshock test for enemy units within 5″.
Saurus Warriors: Move 5″, 5+ Save, 10 Bravery, 1 Wound
They have either a club or spear attack, with the club: Range 1″, Hitting on a 4+, Wounding on a 3+, for 1 Damage. The spear is: Range 2″, 1 Attack, Hitting and Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage. Then a Shield attack: Range 1″, 1 Attack, Hitting on a 5+, Wounding on a 4+, for 1 Damage.
The shields let this unit ignore rend values unless it is -2 or more. When there is 20 or more Saurus you add 1 to hit rolls, and if there is 30 or more add 1 to attacks. Finally, the leader has a bonus club or spear attack, the musician can double the warriors move rather than run or charging, and the banner adds 1 to battleshock test for enemy units within 5
You are going to need to buy 2 knights off eBay to get to the unit size of 10, but beyond that, you are now only 320 points away from having a full 2000 point army. With just two boxes and a couple of small single models, you will need to find. This is where you can branch out and really make this army your own as well as you have all the bases covered. Flying dinosaurs? Check! Giant dinosaurs riding even bigger dinosaurs! Check. A dinosaur that can shoot lasers? Check!
Seriously you have 3 behemoths 3 leaders, all your battle lines and then some with just two box sets! If I were to build this army I would personally try and add some magic as really that is one aspect you are lacking. Adding a Slann Starmaster gives this army some magical might as well as a great support character. With the last 60 points, you can either bring in some endless spells or pop in a Salamander.
- Slaan Starmaster: 260 points, (Leader 4 of 6)
- Chronomatic Cogs: 60 points, (Endless Spell)
- Total 2000 points
Slann Starmaster: Move 5 (fly), 4+ Save, 10 Bravery, and 7 Wounds
He has an Azure Lightning attack with range 3, 6 attacks, hitting on a 4+, wounding on a 3+, with -1 rend, for 1 damage. They can cast three spells in a turn with their unique one being Light of the Heavens. It allows you to pick any Celestial Daemon or Chaos Damon unit and they roll 2 dice for battleshock. If it’s a Celestial Daemon you discard the highest, if it is a Chaos Daemon you discard the lowest. You also start the game with a constellation reading by rolling a D6 and one of the following can happen: add 1 to run and charge rolls, add 1 to casting rolls, or re-roll hit rolls of 1.
You can change the constellation by instead of casting 1 of your spells you roll a D 6, on a 1 the Slann cannot cast any more spells (so do this after you cast two other ones) but on a 4+ you can pick a new one. Finally, the Slann can cast spells through skink heroes or Troglodons within 15, and their command ability is a gift from the heavens which all units within 10 inches of him can fly and re-roll failed saving throws against them in the shooting phase.
This is a great way to bring someone into the hobby or start a new warband. By starting with the battleforce box, they already have everything they need to play a 1000 point game. With the Start Collecting box going so well with the Christmas bundle it’s easy to slowly grow this army into a 2000-point force with options!
The Slaan is really the only model you will need to buy individually from GW and they are reasonable at 50 dollars.
About the Author: Travis Perkins
