created : over 3 years ago

Hello everyone !!

The first review of the yaha ! Let's start with the Kharadron overlords Battletome.

They were in dire need of a new Battletome as even if their models are the best their rules were not so great. So let's see what GW did with them.
In this section of the review, the focus is on the Warscrolls and the Points but before talking about each warscrolls I have to explain 2 new rules that change everything for the Kharadron Overlords.

I) Two big rules changes

There is 2 fundamental change in this army and the consequence are so great that everything is going to change in the way you play Kharadron.

A) Ships Garrison

This is the biggest design change in the Army. In the previous Battletome Skyvessels had the embark rules, allowing troops to embark on the ship. While embarked the troops were not in the game anymore.

In the new Battletome, the Embark rule has been replaced by the garrison rule, same as the one for scenery. That means that dwarf inside ships can shoot, fight and suffer dmg. They are always considered in cover and enemy attacking them suffer a -1 to hit.

Wow Skyvessels shifted to flying Battlewagon full of shooting Dwarfs ^^ Note that only models with the "Marines" Keyword can garrison a ship. So that excludes all infantry with ballon backpack.

Also note that all the flying Dwarfs gets a new rule called hitchhiker as they grab the ship before they flight high they replace the old transport rule for them.

B) Fly high

it's the second rule that changes everything in the faction.

All 3 ships size get this ability that also allows using disengage at the same time (retreat but can still shoot later). Remark that depending on the numbers of wounds taken by the ship it loose mov", Fly high, Disengage.

Still, you have to land 9" from enemy troops and 1" from objectives. Also, keep in mind that now privateer pistol is nerfed to range 9"

The consequence of these 2 changes are quite big as you can keep the dwarfs inside the ship and hop all around the map.

Warscrolls Change

Some significant changes here and some points update too.

Brokk Grungsson

No points change for this one so he's still at 240 points. A few buffs on the weapons with improved rend on the Boast Canon and doubled the number of shot on the Charter. The overcharge rule was replaced with Endrinharness basic rules: "on a 6 to hit it's 3 mortals wounds".

Hitcher rule added, it's super strong because it applies on any sky vessel that Fly high. Even a Gunhauler can transport 7 models.

The new command abilities is not super sexy but it's quite strong in the new way to play Kharadron (i think) . Kharadron Fleet fly high with a bunch of stuff, drop somewhere and Brokk use the charge reroll bubble and you alpha somewhere weak. Note that the Ironclad can charge aswell and fight and make fight the unit inside ^^

ps: keep in mind that you can use a free command ability per phase with a new army-wide rule (aether gold, more details in the second part of the review)

Admiral

Arkanaut Admiral is now at 140 pts (+20) and was altered quite a bit.
One extra attack on the melee hammer however that still a low output model. But if is inside a ship he can use it now so it's strong.

He gets a wound transfert to nearby units and the power seems to work while he's in garrison. (Multiple rules in the Battletome specify that power don't work while inside a ship).

But the big changes are the Command abilities. He got 4 now, one run and charge, one reroll 1 to hit, one reroll charge distance and one +1 to melee attack rolls for the Skyvessel and his garrison!

I am not sure of the power curve but the concept is awesome, install him inside the Ironclad and profit!

Ironclad

Breath before reading this, the Ironclad is now at 510 points ! that 130 points increase. But I think it 100% worth it!
18 wounds and an improved 3+ save, 10" move, the fly high, the disengage rule, the 25/16 garrison and the updated weapons.
Look at the weapons, Great sky canon have now 2 fire mode, one of them does 6 dmg and hit on 3+ . Carbines are now always 8 shots with 2dmg !! Don't forget torpedoes as well with 4 shots.

Also, one Skyvessel get a free trait and Ironclad choose to embark 25 models and still be able to sky high !!!!

I like the Great Sky hook too as you can get a +2 charge and with reroll from the admiral for a reliable charge chance post Fly high.

Frigate

A Frigate is now at 250 points with this +50 points increase. Not as flashy as the Ironclad, the frigate is nonetheless extremely solid, 14w at an improved 4+, some nice Dakka with the main guns hitting now on 3+ and a 11/15 transport capacity.

Gunhauler

Gunhauler got a price hike as well with +20 at now 150pts. but with fly high, the bodyguard rule and the hitcher for skyfarers it's fine. 10 wounds with an improved 4+ armour save. A Fly high rule even if you are on 1 wound left. Main canon on 3+ to hit as well. Sadly, Carbine do only 1 damage on this chassis.
Escort vessel rules are helpful as you can protect multiple frigates with one Gunhauler.

I am not sold on Gunhauler yet, but the ability to use hitcher with them have potential (So you can transport jump pack infantry around the battlefield)

Arkaunaut comp

The Arkanaut Company is now at 90pts for 10 models, up to 40 (with no discount)...-3 points per model !!!!!
Cheaper and they get buff as well, now at 4+ armour save. It's a bummer they got their pistol range nerfed but with 12" range it would have been crazy with fly high.
Inside a ship, they are 3+ sv with -1 to hit them ^^
The mean nerf is the unit composition before we could take 3 specials weapons per 10 models now it's one of each special per 10... it's kind of shitty if you want to equip one company for one speciality.

Thunderer

120 for 5 body that's a +30 per 5. Up to 20 models. Thunderers gain 1 wound so that's huge. Decksweeper is improved as well and they get 3 new powers. Too bad these do not work inside a garrison (so a ship). Also, note that their melee attack now wound on a 4+.

I understand the design intent here, without the price increase the alpha power of the faction would be crazy ^^
On the other hand, they can shoot from inside the ship quite well until you drop 15 of them in a hotspot/cover for maximum efficiency.

Edrinmaster with Dirigible Suit

This is the new model included in the box, 220 point is super expensive. but considering the auto repair for 3, the dakka and the Hitcher rule it's not so bad (not great either.)

Navigator

Now at 100 points (+20) they are expensive but with a 15" range pistol that got a +1 to wound they have decent dakka post fly high.
Can Dispell/unbind like a wizard, grant charge reroll and a cute move debuff on 3+

Endrimaster

now at 100 points (-20). They can repair while embarked, deal 3mortals wounds on a 6 to hit decent while embarked.

Aether Khemist

Now at 90pts with a 50points discount, still welcome to trash tier Khemist ^^
Ranged weapon range nerfed to 9", Aetheric Augmentation nerfed to reroll wound of 1 but not inside a garrison.

My only play with them would be to drop them in front of the Ironclad so if something big decides to charge the ship, it get -1 to hit unless he kill the Khemist first.

Yea not much to save on this poor Khemist :(

Edrinriggers

now at 100 points with a -20 for 3 models. Not a lot of change but they benefit a lot from the hitchers rule and they can tag along and charge/shoot after a fly high.

Skywardens

Stay at 100 points, Basic pistol get a second attack but stay at 9" range. Their melee attack is still 4+/3+, i would have liked a 3+ 3+. Note that the timed charge deal 1d3 mortal on a 4+.

Skywardens

ps : Using hitchers does not seem to count as a retreat.

That's it for the first part of the Kharadron review. Now that the warscrolls and points are done the second part will take a look at the special rules Kharadron have. I hope they have good stuff because there is not a lot of good buff/force multiplier for now.

/Cheers.
Bob.

Kharadron Overlords Review Navigation :
Kharadron Overlords Review part 1
Kharadron Overlords Review part 2