How do you feel about faction specific stratagems for Age of Sigmar? Are Stratagems a natural next step for the game, mechanics-wise?
We’ve known for a while that Age of Sigmar is the “beta” tester for models and rules that eventually hit 40k. But as more armies and Battletomes have dropped, it might be a cool idea for Age of Sigmar to adopt some 40k elements- specifically faction Stratagems.
It wouldn’t be the first time…
Faction-Specific Stratagems Might For Age of Sigmar?
You might say, “but Age of Sigmar already has Stratagems.” Yes, you’re exactly right. Age of Sigmar does already have Stratagems (that are actually called Command Abilities). However, any faction can use them and they all only cost 1CP. These are:
- At the Double: Make a 6″ run
- Forward to Victory: Reroll your charge roll
- Inspiring Presence: Iignore battleshock on a unit
- All-out Attack: Reroll hits of 1 for one unit until the end of the combat phase
- All-out Defence: Reroll save rolls of 1 for one unit until the end of the combat phase
- Volley Fire: Reroll hit rolls of 1 in the shooting phase
Again, these are great, but it would be sweet if we saw faction-specific or even Battalion-specific Stratagems (Command Abilities) come to the game as well as it would add even more flavor and depth.
Examples of Faction-Specific Command Abilities: Stormcast
These would still use the same principles as the current Command Abilities in AoS now, meaning you’d have to have a Hero or General closeby. But a nice added bonus for the Stormcast, for example, might be:
Lay Waste the Tyrant: This would play off the Liberator’s Lay low the tyrant rule and add a +1 to wound bonus going against models with 5 wounds or more.
Another sweet one would be something like Electrid Transferrence which would play off the Lord-Arcanum’s Prime Electrid special rule. This would let your Arcane Bolts do D6 mortal wounds for your Lord Arcanums standing within 6″ of each other whenever they successfully cast Arcane Bolt that phase. Also, doing 3D6 potential mortal wounds might make that ability cost 2CP. But you get the idea here.
Battalion-Specific Command Abilities
If GW didn’t want to take Age of Sigmar in the direction of having faction-specific Command Abilities, they could at least make taking Warscroll Battalions more appealing. They cost points, give you a slight rules buff, and also give a bonus CP/relic. But a nice touch would be a Command Ability exclusive to that Battalion as well. This could also be used to give less-chosen or more-expensive Battalions some appeal by giving them stronger Command Abilities.
For Example, the Ogor Mawtribes Tyrant’s Gut Guard Battalion costs just over 100 pts and lets your Ironguts Look Out Sir! on a 4+ for your Tyrant. That’s decent, but if your Tyrant ends up in a tricky situation (which most do), having the ability to spend something like 2CP to turn the Look Out Sir! roll to a 2+ would definitely see play.
We’re just scratching the surface here. But from a business standpoint, it would be appealing for GW because they’d get to print another series of Battletomes for all the factions. Heck for all we know with thier lead times, maybe it’s already in the works…
What are your thoughts on Age of Sigmar getting more specific Command Abilities? Would you like to see them added to the overall faction? Or a special Command Ability come to different Warscroll Battalions?
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
