Come see how to play Stormcasts Anvils of Heldenhammer and Astral Templars with some 2,000 point AoS army lists from the new battletome.
When the Orruke Warclans battle tome released, we had dived into their various factions and army lists that you can check out here.
Now we are going to dive into the “good guys” with the Stormcast Eternals and see how we might build out some Anvils of Heldenhammer and Astral Templars 2000 point army lists for the Stormcasts faction!
How to Play AoS Stormcasts Anvils & Templars: 2000 Points
All the Stormcast Eternals Models Available
Stormcast Eternals are broken down into either Stormkeep or Thunderstrike Eternals which do one of the following. Then they are further broken down into 8 different factions.
Each article will look at two different sub-factions and build a list that is from the Thunderstrike brotherhood while the other is from the Stormkeep brotherhood.
- Stormkeep Eternals: 1 in every 4 units in this army may be a unit from the Cities of Sigmar faction and they gain the Stormkeep keyword. Add 1 to the Bravery of these units if they are wholly within 12” of a friendly Stormkeep Redeemer unit. Also, in the first and second battlerounds Stormkeep Redeemer models count as 3 for objectives in or partially in your territory. Starting from the 3rd battleround they count as 3 per models for any objective on the battlefield. In addition, if an enemy unit finishes a charge move within 1” of a friendly Stormkeep Redeemer unit that is wholly within 6” of an objective, roll a dice, on a 3+ that unit suffers D3 mortal wounds.
- Thunderstrike Eternals: You can set up a unit of models in reserve for each unit that is set up on the board during deployment. (So, if you have 10 units 5 can be set up on the board and 5 in reserve). At the end of your movement phase, you can set up a unit from reserve anywhere on the battlefield as long as it is more than 9” from an enemy unit.
- Non-faction-specific enhancements (can be used by all subfactions).
Stormcasts Anvils of the Heldenhammer
Let’s start diving into these subfactions starting with the Stormcasts Anvils of the Heldenhammer which gains the following ability: At end of each charge phase roll 2d6 for each enemy unit within 1” of a friendly unit.
If the roll is greater than that unit’s Bravery the first 2 wounds caused by that unit are negated.
Thunderstrike Army:
This is a weird subfaction because nothing in the Stormcast Eternals books subtracts from Bravery so you can’t really build on that ability. With a little luck, the idea is you are going to drop your glass cannon troops close enough for a turn one charge or shooting and rely on a good dice roll to ignore the first 2 wounds to stay alive.
- Lord Relictor: 145 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Knight-Azyros: 120 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Drakesworn Templar: 455 Points, Behemoth 1 of 4, Leader 3 of 6
- Knight-Incantor: 125 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- 10 Judicators with Boltstorm Crossbows: 380 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 10 Sequitors: 290 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 10 Vanquishers: 250 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- 5 Evocators: 230 Points, No Unit Type
- Total 1995 Points
I would keep the Knight Incantor and Evocators nearby the drake for the +1 to casting rolls to buff your troops as well.
For a Stormcasts Anvils of Heldenhammer Battalion, I would go with Battle Regiment, which gives you a two-drop army. Then for enhancements, I would suggest Shock and Awe for you general giving you a -1 to hit the turn you drop, Amulet of Destiny for your Templar giving them a 5+ Ward Save, and then Scintillating Trail as the Mount Trait.
For your prayer, I would suggest Divine Light, then Thundershock for the spell, and finally Call for Aid as your Unique Command Trait. Your goal is to drop in and either get in some charges turn or survive your opponent’s counterattack and get your heavy hitters in to deal some damage.
Stormkeep Army:
This one leans into the bravery ability a little bit by bringing the two Kharibdyss units for the Bravery debuff aura, then the Lord Exorcist spell deals mortal wounds based on your opponent’s Bravery.
- Lord Relictor: 145 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Yndrasta, The Celestial Spear, Leader 2 of 6
- Knight Vexillor with Banner of Apotheosis: 160 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Knight Incantor: 125 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- Knight Azyros: 120 Points, Leader 5 of 6
- Lord Exorcist: 170 Points, Leader 6 of 6
- 10 Liberators: 230 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 5 Judicators with Skybolt Bows: Battleline 2 of 3
- 5 Judicators with Skybolt Bows: Battleline 3 of 3
- Kharibdyss: 165 Points, Behemoth 1 of 4
- Kharibdyss: 165 Points, Behemoth 2 of 4
- Total 2000 Points
Your goal is to hold the line and let thin out your opponent’s ranks using your archers and casters while surviving the initial charge with the wound shrug and debuffs. Then your counter punch pushes your opponent off your objectives and then lets you dig into their territory under the covering fire of your Judicators.
For Battalions your Kharibdyss and one leader can be lumped into the Linebreaker Battalion, then four of your heroes can be brought in the Command Entourage, finally, your troops and the last hero can be in the Vanguard battalion. For enhancements, the Amulet of Destiny is a good one along with Drakescale Armor giving you more survivability.
A good command ability here is the Envoy of the Heavens and then the unique command of Thunderbolt Volley for more survivability and some range damage to soften your opponents’ troops before they charge you.
The prayer I like is Divine Light and for a spell Azytrite Halo and Thundershock for the re-rolls and the change to ding your opponents that break themselves on your shield.
Astral Templars
Next, the Stormcasts Astral Templars army gains the following ability: Friendly units cannot be picked when your opponent chooses a monstrous rampage.
Stormcasts Thunderstrike Army:
This is a very interesting army and one that might catch your opponent off guard with how mobile it is. You will be dropping half your army in within 9” of your opponent and teleporting 3 others pretty much anywhere you want within 9″ of your opponents in the movement phase.
- Yndrasta, The Celestial Spear: 320 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Lord Aquilor: 200 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Knight Judicator with Gryph Hounds: 205 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Knight Vexillor with Banner of Apotheosis: 160 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- 3 Vanguard Palladors: 215 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 10 Vanguard Hunters: 250 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 10 Vanquishers: 250 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- 3 Annihilators: 200 Points, No Unit Type
- 3 Annihilators: 200 Points, No Unit Type
- Total 2000 Points
You can get around with this Stormcasts Astral Templars army very quickly. Keep you Lord Aquilor near the Hunters to buff them in the shooting phase and you are shooting 21 shots hitting on 3 wounding on 4 with -1 rend into an opponent and if you get lucky charging in as well. The Annihilators will drop in and dish out mortal wounds and hopefully slow down your opponent with their awesome saves and if anything drops try and bring them back with the Banner.
This list might lack punch, but it can basically challenge any objective anywhere at any point with its crazy mobile battleline troops.
For Battalion I like the Warlord Battalion which is all your units except one hero giving you a good chance to determine who goes first or second. You want to go second with your mobility forcing your opponent to either spread apart or play defensive letting you shoot for the double turn.
Take Shock and Awe for the -1 to hit you when you drop in to keep your mobile troops alive to the hero phase for healing along with Thunderbolt Volley to let your hunters fire a second time in the hero phase further softening up or removing an opponent. For enhancement, the Amulet of Destiny is pretty much your go-to for your Lord Aqulior to get that 5+ ward save.
Stormkeep:
- Yndrasta, The Celestial Spear: 320 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Lord Aquilor: 200 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Knight Judicator with Gryph Hounds: 205 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Knight Vexillor with Banner of Apotheosis: 160 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- Lord Relictor: 145 Points, Leader 5 of 6
- 3 Vanguard Palladors: 215 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 10 Vanguard Hunters: 250 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 10 Vanquishers: 250 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- Vanguard Raptors with Longstrikecrossbows: 240 Points
- Total 1985 Points
This is very similar to the Stormcasts Astral Templars Thunderstrike army above. However, because of no deep striking we switched out the slow-moving troops with some ranged attacks. You still have high mobility with your general, hunters, and Palladors, but you gain some ranged threat forcing your opponent to move forward towards you.
The Lord Relictor adds some buffing and healing with his prayers, but you are going to need your Raptors and Judicator to dish out some damage from afar while you hunters and Palladors threaten your opponent’s flanks and objectives.
For a battalion, since you are going to be setting up defensively, I would suggest the Warlord for the bonus enhancement and command point. Then Brotherhood Command from the Stormcast book to get an additional command point letting you get your troops into position.
Enhancements wise I like Envoy of the Heavens for command trait and Thunderbolt Volley again for the once per game hero phase shot. With the priest, the Bless Weapons on your raptors can dish out some real damage with each hit roll of 6 dealing 4 mortal wounds.
Finally, for an artifact, you can’t go wrong with the Amulet of Destiny and perhaps the Mirrorshield preventing your Lord Relictor or Judicator from being shot off the board.
For these two sub-factions there is really no reason outside of Narrative play right now to take the Anvils of Heldenhammer as there is not much out there that debuffs bravery. The Astral Templars though might shine during the year of the beast being able to completely ignore monstrous rampages is no small thing. Combine that with the mobility of the battleline troops and you might be in some games where you are outgunned if there is a lot of objectives on the board. I could see either of these lists working well depending on your opponent.
There you have it kicking off our review of the Stormcasts battletome with the Anvils of Heldenhammer & Astral Templars.
Next time we will look into the Celestial Vindicators and Celestial Warbringers.
Don’t forget to check out the other How To Play Stormcasts sub-faction army lists and breakdowns below for the Stormcasts Eternals battletome as well!
- Stormcasts Anvils & Templars
- Celestial Vindicators and Warbringers
- Hammers of Sigmar & Hallowed Knights
- Knights Excelsior & Tempest Lords
More AoS How-To For Beginners & Veteran Players!
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About the Author: Travis Perkins
