The final cut of Blacktalon launches on Warhammer TV this week! It’s more than three and a half hours of action-packed animation following Sigmar’s legendary hunter.
And before that, there’s the debut of Khazalite Holds on Battle Report and exclusive interviews with author Robert Rath and Golden Demon legend Albert Moreto Font. Let’s dig in…
The forces of the Khazalite Holds make their Battle Report debut in a bitter clash against their fallen kin – the Helsmiths of Hashut. Can guest player Jay, from the Warhammer Studio, overcome the followers of the Bullfather in an epic 2,000 point bout?
Since this is the first time that the Khazalite Holds have done battle on Warhammer TV, we thought it might be good to share Jay’s army list to give some ideas of how to blend together Grimmdron (or Fyreslayers as you might still know them) and Kromdron.
Battle Formation: Hearthsworn DefendersHeroic Trait: Innate ResonanceArtefact of Power: Deep-earth Runic WeaponSpell Lore: Reverberations of the RunesManifestation Lore: Aetherwrought MachineriesRunefather on MagmadrothRuneson on Magmadroth5 Auric Hearthguard9 Vulkyn FlameseekersHjulda DrakkbludThrynn10 Clanshields10 ClanshieldsRunewrightOathkeeper CannonStonebreaker Mortar3 Gholems of Gazul
Jay went with the Hearthsworn Defenders battle formation, giving his force access to the Lock Shields! ability, making them particularly durable against enemy shooting when defending their home territory or a crucial objective.
Dug in and resolute, little can pierce the well-made defences of these duardin.
Effect: Subtract 1 from hit rolls for shooting attacks that target friendly KHAZALITE HOLDS units while they are wholly within friendly territory or while every model in the unit is contesting an objective you control.
We sat down with Battle Report host Si (who commanded the Helsmiths of Hashut) to learn what it was like to face the newest faction in Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
Warhammer Community: What were your first impressions of fighting against the Khazalite Holds?
Si: Don’t expect to outshoot them! Even without any Clangunners, Jay’s artillery – he had an Oathkeeper Cannon and a Stonebreaker Mortar – was a constant menace to my army, while the accuracy of my own ranged units was hampered by his Locked Shields.
What was worse, after winning priority in the first battle round, Jay moved aggressively to secure the forward objectives and thereby expand the battle formation’s area of effect beyond his territory. I mean, a Deathshrieker Rocket Battery can hit with truly devastating force, but when it’s reduced to hitting on a 5+, it’s far less reliable.
WarCom: In many ways the Helsmiths of Hashut are a dark mirror of the Khazalite Holds – how do they compare as armies?
Si: Aside from the more obvious nuances that their respective faction rules offer, I would say that the key differences lie in speed in the case of the Helsmiths versus the even heavier armour of the Kromdron units in particular.
Okay, so Helmsmiths are far from the fastest faction, but their access to hard-hitting cavalry units in the form of Anointed Sentinels and Bull Centaurs gives them an edge over their bipedal cousins, while their Infernal Taurus-riding Daemonsmiths can Fly, unlike the Khazalites on War Thrones or Magmadroths.
Of course, the Khazalites make up for this relative shortfall* with an overwhelming number of 3+ Save characteristics as well as multiple ways to mitigate the effectiveness of incoming attacks.
WarCom…
