Competitive Innovations in the Mortal Realms: Ghosts (and a few Goblins)

It’s a nice slower week after a major event like NOVA, but the games go on. As the scourge of Lumineth Hurakan and Nighthaunt…everything is there any refugee from their continued win rate? (No)

Smite Club Open 2024 – AoS World Championships Qualifier

43-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Mesa, AZ, US on September 07 2024. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Mission – Battle for the Pass

Thomas Guan – Lumineth Realm-Lords
Army List - Click to Expand


Fox 2000/2000 pts
—–
Grand Alliance Order | Lumineth Realm-lords | Hurakan Temple
Drops: 3
Spell Lore – Lore of Hysh
Manifestation Lore – Morbid Conjuration
—–
General’s Regiment
Sevireth, Lord of the Seventh Wind (350)
• General
Hurakan Windchargers (340)
• Reinforced

Regiment 1
Ellania and Ellathor, Eclipsian Warsages (280)
Hurakan Spirit of the Wind (240)
Hurakan Windchargers (340)
• Reinforced
Vanari Auralan Sentinels (300)
• Reinforced

Regiment 2
Scinari Calligrave (150)
• Masterful Tactician
• Silver Wand
—–
Faction Terrain
Shrine Luminor
—–
Created with Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App
App: v1.1.0 (10) | Data: v136

vs.

Camaron A Hallford – Nighthaunt
Army List - Click to Expand


Try2 1970/2000 pts

Nighthaunt | Death Stalkers
Drops: 2
Spell Lore – Lore of the Underworlds
Manifestation Lore – Morbid Conjuration

General’s Regiment
Reikenor the Grimhailer (210)
• General
Bladegheist Revenants (300)
• Reinforced
Dreadblade Harrows (160)
Dreadscythe Harridans (150)
Lord Executioner (150)
• Ruler of the Spectral Hosts
• Lightshard of the Harvest Moon

Regiment 1
Awlrach the Drowner (160)
Craventhrone Guard (200)
• Reinforced
Hexwraiths (320)
• Reinforced
Hexwraiths (320)
• Reinforced

Regiment 2

Created with Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App
App: 1.1.0 | Data: 136

Thoughts

The two most powerful lists right now, head to head. Frankly in a head to head match it could be any one’s game, but Tom is an extremely good player and Hurakan lists are tuned to target the Nighthaunt’s Weaknesses, which include lack of ranged power and reliance on Wards. Since the Windchargers can bypass Wards the Nighthaunts are basically just riding their 50-50 Saves and hoping for the best.

Result

Lumineth Realm-Lords Victory – 142 – 27

Thomas Guan – Lumineth Realm-Lords – 1st Place

Lumineth Sentinels. Credit: Wings

The List

See Showdown

Archetype

Hurakan Lumineth with Vanari Support

Thoughts

Tom’s brought this list to a few events with minor tweaks and variations and either won or came damn close. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

Severith and the Wind Chargers can run, shoot, run again to great effect. The ability to bypass wards is especially effective in the current Nighthaunt Meta. Ellania and Ellathor are one of the best casters in the army, able to access the much missed Total Eclipse which really stings in the new edition with its more limited Command Point Economy and can also scrap decently in combat, before teleporting away.

The rest of the list is pure good stuff. The Sentinels make an excellent shield wall for the non-Hurakan stuff, and the Calligrave is one of the other best casters in the army with the Silver Wand.

The Best of the Rest

There were 8 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

  • 2nd – Matt Nguyen – Beasts of Chaos: Bestigors and Bullgors, with the Nurgle Regiment of Renown.
  • 3rd – Brian Horton – Seraphon: Mix of cavalry and kroxigors.
  • 4th – Camaron A Hallford – Nighthaunt: See Showdown.
  • 5th -Aaron Elias Newbom – Ironjawz: Mixed foot and cav, with a Maw-krusha.
  • 6th – Roberto Campos-McDonald – Slaves to Darkness: An eclectic list of warriors, Varanguard, Raptoryx and Oathsworn Kin.
  • 7th – Henry Simon – Gloomspite Gitz: Troggoths with the Rabble Rowza.
  • 8th – Zachary Tipton – Gloomspite Gitz: Trogg and Squigs mixed force.
  • 9th – Shane Lambert – Skaven: Vermintide box, plus a Verminlord Deciever and plague monks.

Crucible 2024 Age of Sigmar

33-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Orlando, FL, United States on September 07 2024. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Mission – Battle for the Pass

Jonathan Roberts – Cities of Sigmar
Army List - Click to Expand


Crucible 2000/2000 pts
—–
Grand Alliance Order | Cities of Sigmar | Ironweld Guild Army
Drops: 3
Spell Lore – Spells of the Collegiate Arcane
Prayer Lore – Scriptures of Sigmar
Manifestation Lore – Krondspine Incarnate
—–
General’s Regiment
Sorceress (120)
• General
• Master of Ballistics
Dark Riders (150)
Dark Riders (150)
Dreadspears (110)
Executioners (280)
• Reinforced

Regiment 1
Runelord (120)
• Brazier of Holy Flame
Hammerers (300)
• Reinforced
Hammerers (300)
• Reinforced

Regiment 2
Callis and Toll (230)
Freeguild Fusiliers (240)
• Reinforced
Toll’s Companions
—–
Created with Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App
App: v1.1.0 (10) | Data: v136

vs.

Joshua Bradford – Nighthaunt
Army List - Click to Expand


Joshua Bradford 2000/2000 pts

Nighthaunt | Death Stalkers
Drops: 2
Spell Lore – Lore of the Underworlds
Manifestation Lore – Morbid Conjuration

General’s Regiment
Awlrach the Drowner (160)
• General
Bladegheist Revenants (300)
• Reinforced
Dreadscythe Harridans (300)
• Reinforced
Hexwraiths (320)
• Reinforced
Hexwraiths (320)
• Reinforced

Regiment 1
Reikenor the Grimhailer (210)
Lord Executioner (150)
• Ruler of the Spectral Hosts
• Lightshard of the Harvest Moon
Myrmourn Banshees (120)
Myrmourn Banshees (120)

Thoughts

Honestly this fight goes a lot closer than you’d think. The Nighthaunt list is mostly just the Nighthaunt good stuff, but Cities of Sigmar isn’t entirely washed against it. Two reinforced squads of Hammerers is tough and even Nighthaunt’s crazy high damage can struggle to break through it. Cities do have a nice Arsenal of Buffs, Debuffs and Ranged damage to deal with Nighthaunt from a distance, and charge in if they can catch them unawares.

That said Nighthaunt scoot in with a very narrow victory.

Result

Nighthaunt Victory – 44 – 41

Joshua Bradford – Nighthaunt – 1st Place

Mymourn Banshees Credit: Fowler

The List

See Showdown

Archetype

Nighthaunt Good Stuff

Thoughts

It’s frankly just the Greatest Hits of Nighthaunt, it’s real good. The lack of Olynder is interesting, substituted with Mymourn Banshees which gives less casting overall but more anti-Wizard. A lot of lists do rely heavily on their key spells popping off, so being able to punish that is a smart play.

The Best of the Rest

There were 4 more players on 4-1 records. They were:

  • 2nd – douglas klem – Hedonites of Slaanesh: A mixed arms approach of Glutos and Sigvald with a mix of archers, cav and melee infantry.
  • 3rd – Johnathon Roberts – Cities of Sigmar: See showdown.
  • 4th – Cody Saults – Seraphon: Mid-range seraphon.
  • 5th – Michael Smith – Idoneth Deepkin: Heavy mix of Morrsarr Guard and Namarti

Wrap Up

Thanks for joining us again. Bit of a slower week but we’re only a few weeks out from the next GW event, and some battlescroll changes are inevitable. See you all next week!

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