What Stratagems are you hoping to see in the new dex

Also, check out my newest fan codex that I just managed to squeeze out before the actual codex drops, I've included around 25 stratagems so far but I'd still love to pick your brains for more. I've already got a couple of the basic ones, like a Killshot strat for ravagers, a 4+ psychic denial, and strats for each of the 3 main subfactions (Kabal, Cult, Coven). I'm also a little concerned that too many of my strats are unit-specific. Enjoy!

1CP, counterstrike: During the next combat phase, when a wych succeed a dodge save, roll a D6. On a 4+, inflict a mortal wound to the attacking unit.

@dumpeal very neat idea! I am a little unclear about your intent though. When you say "during the next combat phase", do you mean in the fight phase that follows the fight phase in which the dodge saves were made? Or do you just mean in the same fight phase as the dodge saves were made, but that you would use the stratagem at the start of the fight phase before any attacks were made?

Oh, this is fun.

Reckless bombardment: The Razorwing can make 4 shooting attacks with missiles. After that, the Razorwing may not use its missiles anymore.

Full Annihilation: If a Ravager attacks a target within 18", you may shoot at it twice.

Aelindrach Rally: You can bring back all units of Mandrakes into reserves and re-deploy them in the next turn. This also works if round 3 has already passed.

Latest Experiments: Treat the round with +1 when determining the effects of Power from Pain on a unit of Grotesques.

Corpsethief Claw: Your Pain Engines gain +12" movement speed in the first round. This Strategem can only be used in the first round.

Breakneck Swoop: If a unit of Scourges just arrived via reserves it can move them with half of their movement speed.

Unshielded Devastation: When using the Void Mine, all models will suffer a Mortal Wound on a 2+ instead of a 3+. However, the Voidraven will also take D6 mortal wounds.

I'd really like to see us get a focus on dirty tricks and leadership shenanigans. So with that in mind, some wishlisted suggestions;

Strategic Denial: Use this when your opponent uses a Stratagem. That Stratagem does not take effect. Strategic Denial costs twice the Command Points of the Stratagem that it prevents from taking effect.

Paranoia Strike: Target enemy unit will not benefit from positive modifiers to leadership or special rules related to morale. Negative leadership modifiers will retain their effect.

Terror: Target enemy unit will be considered to have double the number of casualties that they've taken for the purposes of morale tests.

Webway Mirror: At the end of the deployment phase, choose two of your opponent's units that are in their deployment zone. They swap places. Characters cannot be affected by this stratagem.

Death from above (1 cp):
At the start of the shooting phase choose a transport with the open topped rule with a unit embarked upon it. Attacks from the embarked unit may reroll failed hits and wounds with their shooting attacks this phase.


Based on this:

Airborne Assault (1CP) : At the end of your movement phase choose a Drukhari unit embarked in a transport. This unit can immediately disembark wholly within 3" of that transport and more than 1" from any enemy and cannot move further this phase. If the transport Advanced this phase, the disembarked unit counts as having Advanced as well.

Dalakh wrote:

Airborne Assault (1CP) : At the end of your movement phase choose a Drukhari unit embarked in a transport. This unit can immediately disembark wholly within 3" of that transport and more than 1" from any enemy and cannot move further this phase. If the transport Advanced this phase, the disembarked unit counts as having Advanced as well.

I completely agree with an ability to move our transports and disembark. I am truly hoping that this isn't placed in Stratagem form though...I'm really hoping we simply have the capability to move, disembark, and charge. Our transports currently don't match up in almost any category to CWE...we need something that we are good at and I'm really hoping it doesn't come in Stratagem form.

SushiBoy013 wrote:

Dalakh wrote:

Airborne Assault (1CP) : At the end of your movement phase choose a Drukhari unit embarked in a transport. This unit can immediately disembark wholly within 3" of that transport and more than 1" from any enemy and cannot move further this phase. If the transport Advanced this phase, the disembarked unit counts as having Advanced as well.

I completely agree with an ability to move our transports and disembark. I am truly hoping that this isn't placed in Stratagem form though...I'm really hoping we simply have the capability to move, disembark, and charge. Our transports currently don't match up in almost any category to CWE...we need something that we are good at and I'm really hoping it doesn't come in Stratagem form.

Well, 14" moving dark eldar transports is absolute bullshit IMHO when a WS or Falcon moves 16" and can potentially advance 2D6. But an armywide disembark, potentially charge ? Wouldn't that be a bit too strong ?
Idk, maybe not. That's (assuming we just keep index stats) 17" accross the no man's land, counting the disembark distance, and then a rerollable charge turn 2 onwards, that's a fairly easy 7" charge assuming your opponent deployed on his zone edge.

I get that some armies are just bonkers with movement, for instance Shining Spears moving 22" and charging rerollable (with Saim-Hann and a CP) or moving 32" and charging with quickening or moving 44" and charging rerollable ( ) if you combine both but each time it's something limited either by a psychic power or a stratagem.

Idk if this would be too strong as just a base thing. Maybe, maybe not, with testing I could say. Hopefully we get some mobility vehicle equipment as well which would make this a lot better than it currently looks especially comboed with the "leaked" Wych cult trait of advance+charge.

Tounguekutter wrote:

@dumpeal very neat idea!  I am a little unclear about your intent though.  When you say "during the next combat phase", do you mean in the fight phase that follows the fight phase in which the dodge saves were made?  Or do you just mean in the same fight phase as the dodge saves were made, but that you would use the stratagem at the start of the fight phase before any attacks were made?

You use the stratagem at the beginning of the fight phase, before you make your dodge rolls. You can use it on your own fight phase or in the opponent's fight phase. But, because you do it at the beginning of the phase, you don't always know if a wych unit will be attacked or not.

Dalakh wrote:

SushiBoy013 wrote:

Dalakh wrote:

Airborne Assault (1CP) : At the end of your movement phase choose a Drukhari unit embarked in a transport. This unit can immediately disembark wholly within 3" of that transport and more than 1" from any enemy and cannot move further this phase. If the transport Advanced this phase, the disembarked unit counts as having Advanced as well.

I completely agree with an ability to move our transports and disembark. I am truly hoping that this isn't placed in Stratagem form though...I'm really hoping we simply have the capability to move, disembark, and charge. Our transports currently don't match up in almost any category to CWE...we need something that we are good at and I'm really hoping it doesn't come in Stratagem form.

Well, 14" moving dark eldar transports is absolute bullshit IMHO when a WS or Falcon moves 16" and can potentially advance 2D6. But an armywide disembark, potentially charge ? Wouldn't that be a bit too strong ?
Idk, maybe not. That's (assuming we just keep index stats) 17" accross the no man's land, counting the disembark distance, and then a rerollable charge turn 2 onwards, that's a fairly easy 7" charge assuming your opponent deployed on his zone edge.

I get that some armies are just bonkers with movement, for instance Shining Spears moving 22" and charging rerollable (with Saim-Hann and a CP) or moving 32" and charging with quickening or moving 44" and charging rerollable ( ) if you combine both but each time it's something limited either by a psychic power or a stratagem.

Idk if this would be too strong as just a base thing. Maybe, maybe not, with testing I could say. Hopefully we get some mobility vehicle equipment as well which would make this a lot better than it currently looks especially comboed with the "leaked" Wych cult trait of advance+charge.

Coldstar commander can move 40" and still fire with full ballistic skill IIRC. I don't feel that we - the fast army - should feel bad about moving significantly and noticeably faster than the other armies. When we move our stuff, our opponents jaw should be dropping. They should be asking to see our rules, because they can't believe we move that fast! 14" is so unimpressive in 8th its sad, really.

Stratagem or character skills

- Bring me their skin - nominate one enemy unity, you can re roll wound roll when targeting this unit.

- Finally, a worthy opponent - nominate one enemy unit, all your units can make one additional melee attack against this unit.

- Dance my puppet, dance - Chosen one unit, this unit must take morale test, even when he don't lose any model.

A plus one to wound with the posion weapons on a squad would be really handy or just getting a reroll against a certain Target with all posion weapons would be handy.


Wouldn't mind seeing a fire twice with a ravager either.

There are some really nice stratagems in other books I'm looking forward to seeing what we get.

Eldar have that Fire Prism linked fire strat. I’ll be surprised if we don’t get the same for ravagers. Same for fire and fade, and 1 vehicle deep strike if we don’t also webway Infantry. Basically mostly the same stuff as Eldar.

Sorry that’s what I expect. I’m hoping for more, or at least more inventive stuff

Wow, some really awesome ideas going on here!

I especially like the idea that deception should be present in their stratagems, but I've found it hard to incorporate that. Here's is what I've got so far:

Grandiose Feint - 2 CP

Select a friendly Drukhari unit that is within 10” of an enemy unit that used a Stratagem, Ability, Warlord trait, or some other means to deploy outside of their deployment zone. You may only use this stratagem at the end of your opponent’s Movement phase. If you do so, move the friendly Drukhari unit up to 12”.

Cruel Traps - 2 CP

During deployment place D6 trap markers anywhere in your deployment zone. Each trap marker should be no larger than 25mm in diameter. If an enemy unit moves within 6” of a Marker, they suffer D3 Mortal wounds.

Like Catching Smoke - 1 CP

You can use this stratagem after a friendly Drukhari unit shoots in your Shooting phase. If you do so, that unit can immediately move 7” as if it were the Movement phase (it may not Advance as part of its move) but may not Charge in the same turn that it does so.

Shadow Stalk - 1 CP

Use this stratagem during deployment. Place 4 Shadow markers anywhere on the table. Each Shadow marker should be no larger than 25mm in diameter. If your opponent moves any units within 6” of a counter remove the counter. At the beginning of any of your Movement phases, you may move a Mandrake, Shade, or Shrieker unit such that they are wholly within 6” of a Shadow marker, then remove the marker. This counts as the units move for this turn.

Labyrinthine Cunning - 2 CP
No Drukhari survive the constant power of Commorragh without limitless guile and gift for strategy. These are turned to deadly purpose on the battlefield.

Use at the beginning of the game but before the first turn. You may immediately remove up to 3 friendly units and re-deploy them following the rules for deployment.

I want moarrr!

Turn 1 charges was something wyches were well known for in fifth edition. It is only right and just that we get that ability back.

I'd prefer it to be a base ability, but ability to disembark after movement for a unit embarked in a Raider

Launch a second Void Mine

Redeploy an opponents unit

Fighting Decks -2 CP
Select a raider engaged with an enemy unit. Any units embarked on that raider may fight in the fight phase as if they themselves were engaged.

Fleshcrafting (2CP): Pick a Coven unit that has lost some wounds - It may regain d3 wounds

Court of the Archon (2CP): When you set up an Archon and up to 4 models with the court of the Archon key word, you may deploy them as a single unit. If you do so, they lose the character key word, and may at the start of any movement phase break apart each models as it's own unit again. Once they have done so, they remain independent units for the rest of the game.

Contempt of the Ages (1CP): At the start of the fight phase, select on unit. For each hit roll of 6+, you make gain another attack. These attacks can generate additional attacks

Pride of the Kabal (3CP): Select one unit of Warriors or Trueborn in the shooting phase. That unit may treat all rapid fire weapons as being one additional (so rapid fire 1 becomes rapid fire 2). In addition, you may re-roll failed hit rolls with this unit.

Blood Frenzy (1CP): Select a unit with the Wych keyword that has killed an enemy unit in close combat. That unit gains a 4+ invul save vs shooting during the next turn.

Exquisite Agony (1CP): Use when a character is taken from full wounds to none in a single attack. On a 2+, the character remains with a single wound left.

Fires of hell (2CP): Select a Mandrake unit at the beginning of your shooting phase. When this unit wounds an enemy unit, increase the damage that each model takes by the number of unsaved wounds inflicted. Note, this does not include the bonus mortal wounds.

Dawn raid (1CP): Use before the battle starts. All shooting attacks in the first turn will be at -1 to hit vs your units.

Gravity Disruption field (2CP): Select a vehicle at the star of your opponents shooting phase. Any ranged attacks vs that vehicle must count the vehicle as being 6" farther away than it is.

We definetly need a stratagem wich allows us to wound vehicles with poison better than 6+ as well as a stratagem which makes our poison weapos AP -1.

Emergency Thrusters (1CP)

Use when a charge is declared upon a friendly Drukhari vehicle. That vehicle may immediately move 3" in any direction.

Combat Masters (2CP)

Use at the beginning of the combat phase. All Incubi units may add 1 to their wound rolls.

Definitely need a stratagem that allows one unit to fire twice in the shooting phase, and something that allows wyches and incubi to get massive charges off coming out the Webway like "roll 3d6 when charging if unit has emerged from the Webway"

Elfric wrote:

Definitely need a stratagem that allows one unit to fire twice in the shooting phase, and something that allows wyches and incubi to get massive charges off coming out the Webway like "roll 3d6 when charging if unit has emerged from the Webway"

I agree it would be nice, but remember that the Webway already costs 1-3 CP, so adding another stratagem to help with charging makes the tactic even more costly, and probably prohibitively so.