Hey there, fellow Warhammer enthusiasts! Ready to dive into the grimy, scheming world of the Skaven in the latest edition of Age of Sigmar? Let’s talk about these nasty ratmen and their rise to power!
Skaven: Always Lurking, Always Scheming
In the Mortal Realms, you’re never far from a Skaven. These humanoid rats lurk in the dark, always plotting and gnawing away at reality itself. Living in the foul depths of Blight City, they’ve been driven by an insatiable hunger to consume everything in their path. And guess what? Their grand plan to elevate the Great Horned Rat into the Chaos Gods’ pantheon worked! Now, they’re invading the realms through gnawholes, turning the land into a toxic wasteland.
Skaven Society: Paranoia and Treachery
Skaven society is built on paranoia. Each rat believes they’re the greatest, and every other Skaven is out to get them. They’re always ready to backstab—literally. At the top sits the Council of Thirteen, powerful leaders with their agents in the Masterclan, the Grey Seer prophets.
Most Skaven live short, miserable lives in lesser clans, dreaming of rising to power. If they’re lucky, they might climb the social ladder through cunning or sheer luck.
The Great Clans
The lesser clans fall under the influence of the Great Clans, each with its own specialty:
- Clans Eshin: Masters of assassination.
- Clans Skryre: Crazy engineers and inventors.
- Clans Moulder: Breeders and beastmasters.
- Clans Pestilens: Devout plague priests.
When these clans go to war, it’s usually due to bargains, bribes, or threats. Despite their constant scheming, they can sometimes band together—temporarily.
Battle Traits: Skaven’s Tactical Prowess
Skaven are cowards at heart, valuing their lives above all else. They’re experts at retreating from combat, making them Too Quick to Hit-Hit. When the Vermindoom strikes, new gnawholes appear, allowing Skaven to flood the battlefield. They can pop up three gnawholes and ambush enemies with The Lurking Vermintide.
Skaven also excel in conspiratorial thinking, always staying three steps ahead of the enemy, repositioning during the enemy hero phase.
Battle Formations: Specialized Forces
The Clans Moulder bring terrifying new Rat Ogors with warpstone enhancements. These Prized Creations are melee monsters, with added abilities like a Ward (5+) or self-destructive fury.
Other clans contribute their own unique units:
- Clans Skryre: Lethal prototype weapons.
- Clans Pestilens: Corrupting the earth.
- Clan Verminus: Boosting rank-and-file troops like Clanrats and Stormvermin.
Arcana and Incantations: Warp Magic Galore
Skaven wizards, born once a generation, wield volatile warpstone chips to unleash devastating spells. They can summon a Warp Lightning Vortex, which hampers enemy movement and fries foes with mortal damage.
Key Units: Verminlords and Rat Ogors
While most Skaven are cannon fodder, they’re sometimes led by Verminlords—demonic servants of the Great Horned Rat. The most powerful of these is Lord Skreech Verminking, a terrifying entity that can weaken enemies and empower allies within a 13” aura.
Rat Ogors, enhanced by Clans Moulder, are melee beasts with warpstone weaponry. They can enter a frenzy with Unleashed Warp-Fury, blasting enemies with green warpfire.
Skaven War Machines: High Risk, High Reward
Despite the dangers, Skaven value their war machines, like Warp-Lightning Cannons. These machines, though prone to malfunction, are devastating on the battlefield, demanded by Warlock Engineers and Clawlords alike.
Faction Terrain: Gnawholes
Gnawholes are vital, acting as portals for Skaven to deploy reserves and replenish their forces. They keep popping up throughout the battle, providing endless tactical opportunities.
The Word from the Studio
Sam from the studio says the new gnawhole mechanics align with the narrative of the Vermindoom, allowing Skaven to pop up gnawholes throughout the battle, not just at the start. This opens up tons of strategic possibilities, backed by the variety of specialist units from the Great Clans.
Spearhead Spotlight
Skaven have two Spearheads: the Warpspark Clawpack and the new Gnawfeast Clawpack. The new Spearhead still allows for positional play with The Lurking Vermintide and Gnawhole Ambush, crucial on the smaller Spearhead board.
At the center of it all is a Grey Seer, a magical Skaven who can inspire Clanrats and weaken enemies with Wither.
That’s the lowdown on the Skaven in the new Age of Sigmar edition. These cunning, cowardly ratmen are ready to wreak havoc across the realms, and we can’t wait to see them in action! Tomorrow, we’ll dive into the Gloomspite Gitz—stay tuned for more chaos and mayhem!
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