In this article, we’ll take a look at how to play Stormcasts with a focus on Knights Excelsior and Tempest Lords- check it out!
We have reached the end of the Stormcast, if you want to see any of the past articles you can (Anvils of the Heldenhammer and Astral Templars), (Celestial Vindicators and Celestial Warbringers), and (Hallowed Knights and Hammers of Sigmar). For today we are going to finish off with the Knights Excelsior and Tempest Lords, starting with the Knights Excelsior.
All the Stormcast Eternals Models Available
How to Play Stormcasts: Knights Excelsior & Tempest Lords
First, let’s recap the Stormcast Eternals’ overall abilities.
Stormcast Eternals are broken down into either Stormkeep or Thunderstrike Eternals which do one of the following (see below). Then they are further broken down into 8 different sub-factions.
Each article will look at two of the 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 battle rounds, Stormkeep Redeemer models count as 3 for objectives in or partially in your territory. Starting from the 3rd battleround they count as 3 per model 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 sub-factions).
Knights Excelsior:
Knights Excelsior: Once per turn at the start of the combat phase pick 1 friendly Paladin unit on the battlefield. Until the end of the phase with you picks that unit to fight, pick 1 enemy unit within 1”, if the enemy unit has more models than the Paladin unit then the Paladin unit gets +1 to hit and wound rolls.
- Celestial Hurricanum with Celestial Battlemage: 280 Points, Behemoth 1 of 4, Leader 1 of 6
- Luminark of Hysh with White Battlemage: 275 Points, Behemoth 2 of 4, Leader 2 of 6
- Ydrasta, the Celestial Spear: 320 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
- Knight Incantor: 125 Points, Leader 6 of 6
- 5 Retributors: 235 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 5 Protectors: 225 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 5 Retributors: 235 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- Total 2000 Points
This is an interesting army in that you are mixing magic and paladins, so you are bringing a lot of firepower to the battlefield. However, what you are lacking in is bodies to control objectives, so you are going to struggle to control multiple battlefield points at once. That being said your war machines and wizards might be able to do enough damage to force your opponent to close in with you, in which case your paladins should make short work of them. Add that the Knight Vexillor and Yndrasta and return fallen paladins and you have some serious staying power.
For this army getting your paladins in combat is key so I am taking the Vanguard Battalion and then Command Entourage. For bonus spells I am going to take Translocation for the priest to teleport a unit, then my Knight Incantor I am taking Thundershock to potentially debuff a powerful enemy unit, and for unique command trait, I am taking Unleash Thy Hatred. Then for Artifacts I am taking Amulet of Destiny for that sweet 5+ ward save and Arcane Tome to add to my firepower in the magic phase, giving that wizard one potentially the fire weapons spell to increase their melee damage output.
Thunderstrike Eternals:
- Lord Imperatant: 170 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Lor Ordinator: 130 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Yndrasta, The Celestial Spear: 320 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Knight-Vexillor with Banner of Apotheosis: 160 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- Knight-Azyros: 120 Points, Leader 5 of 6
- 3 Annihilators with Meteoric Grandhammers: 240 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 3 Annihilators: 200 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 5 Retributors: 235 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- Celestar Ballista: 140 Points, Artillery 1 of 4
- Celestar Ballista: 140 Points, Artillery 2 of 4
- Celestar Ballista: 140 Points, Artillery 3 of 4
- Total 2000 Points
This army is all about paladins and getting them into combat ASAP, you will be light on models, so you need to make sure for every model lost you make up for it in return. But with some luck, you can be in combat turn one with at least two of your Annihilators beating down whatever targets were softened by your Ballista. If you can target any heroes and pick them off you might want to try that, otherwise, concentrated fire will be your friend here because you need to thin out your opponents’ models. Yndrasta and the Knight Vexillor will help heal your paladins back up, but you need to make sure they are taking out models otherwise you will struggle on objectives.
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This army is going to take Vanguard Battalion and Command Entourage to get the Forward to Victory and additional artifact. Those being the Amulet of Destiny for the 5+ ward save and then the Hammer of Might on my Lord Ordinator in case an opponent gets close to our Artillery. For a command ability, we are going with Unleash Thy Hatred and Shock and Awe to add some defense and combat powers to our paladins. With any luck, you will have two of your three paladin units in combat the first turn and be melting your opponent in melee with them.
Tempest Lords:
Tempest Lords: When you charge with a Tempest Lord unit that can fly, you can reroll 1 of the charge dice.
- Yndrasta, the Celestial Spear: 320 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Karazai, the Scarred: 600 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Lord Celestant on Stardrake: 500 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Lord Celestant: 130 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- 3 Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins: 115 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 3 Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins: 115 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 6 Prosecutors with Celestial Hammers: 220 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
This is an interesting army in that everyone flys to take advantage of the reroll 1 dice except the Lord Celestant. For that, I am going to hope that giving him the arcane tome and unique spell levitate lets him get that perk. You have an incredibly fast force with this army so be sure to take advantage of it when streaking through the skys to gain objectives and encounter enemy units. Again though be sure that you are not selling your models short because you will be outnumbered greatly against most armies, and losing models in the shooting and magic phase could cost you the game.
For this army, I am going to take Battle Regiment to get this to be a two-drop army so that I can hopefully dictate who goes first. As noted above my artifact is the Arcane Tome with a unique spell levitate to take advantage of the Tempest Lord abilities. For my Command and Mount traits, I am taking, Master of the Celestial Menagerie, Light of the Young Stars, and Steadfast March to get my armies into combat and fighting.
Thunderstrike Eternals:
- Yndrasta, the Celestial Spear: 320 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Krondys, Son of Dracothion: 600 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Lor Arcanum on Gryph-Charger: 195 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Lord Imperatant: 175 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- 3 Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins: 115 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 10 Vindicators: 260 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 3 Prosecutors with Stormcall Javelins: 115 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- 3 Annihilators: 200 Points, No Unit Type
- Total 1980 Points
This is a very mobile army in that anything that can’t fly is going to drop from the sky and try and charge your opponent on turn one. The Lord arcanum on Gryph Charger can ride the winds to get where they need to go and you could even drop some point here and there to add some endless spells. Your big faint however will be your large monster characters while your block of 10 Vindicators has the ability and model count to take out units and hold objectives. After dropping from the sky if they need a push you can always cast levitate on them to get them moving again, and in a pinch re roll 1 charge roll dice as well.
For this army, I am going to take Battle Regiment so that I have a two-drop army letting me dictate who goes first and second. After that, I am going to take the Amulet of Destiny because the 5+ ward save is amazing. Then for bonus spells on my Lord Arcanum, I am going to take Levitate to get my foot soldiers moving again if needed, and on the dragon Chain Lightning for some bonus mortal wound power. My command abilities will be Shock and Awe along with Call for Aid to use if your Vindicators get wiped out. Finally, my mount trait will be Aetheric Swiftness for my Lord Arcanum on Gryphy Charger.
There you have it the final two Stormhosts from the battletome, overall a pretty neat book though I do think there is only a couple of Stormhosts worth taking outside of narrative play. With these two the Knights Excelsior having paladins as battleline units is pretty huge so that is a big boon, while the tempest lords do get prosecutors as battleline they are a little lackluster. Overall if I had to take one I think I would go Knight Excelsior as Thunderstrike Eternals, the reserves rule is just too good to not use in a game.
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
