Objective Secured

Phoenix Rising, a Review – Part 1

Its been a while coming (at least it feels like it!) but Phoenix Rising is finally here. The first book of the psychic awakening campaign is here and much to my delight it covers 3 of my favourite factions… Craftworlds, Drukhari and Ynnari.

For today, I’m just going to focus on checking out the Craftworld updates from Phoenix Rising – specifically the Aspect Warrior Exarch updates! If you are following along with me – page 42 of the book is where we kick off. Every Exarch has come with a fixed power since the release of the original 8^th ed codex. I say this knowing the book never actually called them exarch powers as such but they have now been clarified to be just that. The book allows you to swap the basic power (which is specifies under each aspect in the new book) for one of the new ones. Alternately, each aspect has a specific stratagem which can be used once per game before the game starts to let an exarch take an extra power provided it kept the base power on the data sheet.

If you stick with the old power or swap for the new, it has to be listed as an item on your army list which means no swapping for tournaments round to round sadly. It can even be read that if you intend to use the stratagem for extra powers, this has to be listed on your army list as well since it specifically says note any powers you have added or replaced and the only way to add is with the stratagem! Lets dig into the aspects and take a look at the winners and … well not winners.

Fire Dragons

Ouch… the Fire Dragons continue their 8^th ed trend of being perhaps the least used aspect warrior in a world of high value targets with invulnerable saves and mass screens. Sadly the exarch powers don’t help. You are trading Crack Shot on the exarch for a range of powers – none of which do anything of note to make the unit better at what its primary task is – nuking hard targets. We get a bizarre range of powers that make them harder to hit in combat, let them shoot their fusion guns as pistols, reroll damage for the exarch, give the exarch an ok melee weapon, let the exarch overwatch with a flamer better and the last – vaguely usable – power is advance on 3d6 picking the dice to be used. There are a couple of ‘cute’ powers but ultimately they just don’t stack up, but then again, Fire Dragons are in the same boat.

Dire Avengers

A couple of solid options here – and giving up the 4+ invulnerable on the exarch isn’t a major loss for the unit. The first power lets unmodified hits of 6 generate an additional hit for the squad which is a solid upgrade in general. The second is -1 to wound in combat that, when stacked with a shimmer shield or Asurmen, could be useful but I think it will get overlooked for other options. Next we have an auto pass morale which again is ok but will be passed up. Martial adept is next and it’s the worst of the 6 options in my mind, making the exarch 2+ BS and WS just isn’t great compared to the other options. Shredding fire for an exarch with dual catapults is a solid choice since you now have 4 shots at -3 ap in the squad. My favourite though is Avenging strike – which gives you +1 to hit and wound when you have lost 1 or more models from a unit of avengers and the exarch is still alive. This is a really good option – letting the squads shuriken weapons rend on 5+ to wound rolls and hurt any target in the game on 5+ as well. Losing 1 model (typically when their serpent goes down!) is worth it for that! Plus is also means your opponent can’t afford to leave even a few alive which will change target priorities mid game. Dire Avengers are definitely back in contention as troops!

Dark Reapers

Again we get situational or truly poor choices along with 1 or 2 great ones. Giving up Crack Shot on the exarch is worth it for a couple of them for sure. If you are taking a tempest launcher (why arn’t you?) I suspect you will see it traded for either Rain of Death (to reroll the number of shots fired) or Long Ranged Fire (to give the whole squad +6” of range). Taking the Aeldari Missile Launcher or Reaper Launcher you would consider Rapid shot for a straight up extra shot on the weapons profile. Focused fire is another niche ability, allowing the exarch to target characters if they are within 18’ of him – could be useful for drive by sniper missiles. We then get 2 duds… Grim Visage for -1Ld for enemy within 6” and Deadly Touch allowing the exarch to deal mortal wounds in combat. If Reapers are in combat or that close to the enemy then I suspect something is very wrong. All in all, Dark Reapers got a few solid upgrades.

Howling Banshees

So close and yet so far. Giving up War Shout for any of these is in my opinion a mistake. Stacking Graceful Avoidance with War Shout using the stratagem might be legitimate for combat durability but the fact both powers only work in combat is a problem. Piercing strike only affects the exarch as does whirling blades – both of which should have been unit wide to be worth it. Disarming strike is kind of ok but reducing 1 enemy models attacks by 2 isn’t better than a flat -1 to hit. Nerve Shredding Shriek is a 50/50 chance of d3 mortal wounds to an enemy unit within 1” and again, not worth swapping. Decapitating strike is perhaps the biggest miss for me, again only affecting the exarch when allowing the unit to use it to up their damage output would have seen banshees on the tables again regularly. The Howling Banshees sadly got little from this release save for lovely new models and an amazing plastic phoenix lord.

Swooping Hawks

Another that follows the Dark Reaper pattern of powers and swapping Herald of Victory isn’t a problem. Swooping barrage is solid to deliver mortal wound but the grenade pack ability needs a slight rework to make this truly great. Fast Shot to make the exarch weapons assault 6 is another ok power but I would have preferred 1 less shot and then have it affect the whole unit. Rapid assault won’t be taken since when hawks make combat its either in desperation or they are about to die. Evade for a 5+ invulnerable is pretty solid for large units while suppressing fire is great for hawks who like to harass and screen. Intercept rounds out the powers and allows rerolls to hit vs flyers for the unit where the reroll to wound would have been better. Swooping Hawks definitely got a boost.

Striking Scorpions

Putting my own personal bias aside, Scorpions definitely got a boost with these powers. You are losing Sustained Attack but I think there are several which are worth it. Stalker is a solid pick for -1 to hit while in cover from ranged attacks so they are great for camping and holding objectives on or near terrain. Crushing blow nets us a S10 scorpions claw in a world of T7/8 vehicles which is a straight up boost for him. Scorpions Grasp is a let down, adding mortal wounds on 6 to hit rolls with a claw (I’d rather crushing blow). Ambush lets the scorpions strike first while on terrain which again is pretty good – combine with Ynnari for +1 to hit when soul bursting! Withdraw lets you fall back at the end of the fight phase, a great option for then charging again in your own turn but likely over shadowed by other powers. The last power – Scorpions Sting – is likely the power you will see most. +1 to the rolls made for mandiblasters (thus causing mortal wounds on 5+) is amazing, especially since it happens at the start of the phase – and before any fights. Dealing wounds this way is great. Striking Scorpions will likely be coming out of the cases of Eldar players again.

Shining Spears

Trading in Expert Hunter for these options is somewhat questionable. Withdraw is the same as the scorpions but with the bigger bases, completing this with a large unit of spears might be tricky. Swooping Dive is my pick of the bunch because adding +1 to charge is only making the unit better at what they need to do. Blade master requires the paragon sabre and thus won’t every get picked. Lancer is ok – but you are likely better with Expert Hunter. Skilled rider for 3+ invulnerable on the exarch sounds good, especially with protect (making it a 2+) but I feel like that’s a trap – tanking wounds on the best damage output model in the squad seems counterproductive. Heartstrike should have worked on the whole squad to make it worth taking. Shining Spears came out ok and I can see them being the unit that uses the stratagem a lot to get Expert Hunter plus another power.

Crimson Hunters

You know what no one ever said? Crimson Hunters need a boost! Again we get a solid range of options and in some cases a flat out easy pick over the standard Marksmans Eye. Aerial predator sounds ok but since it only effects fly targets its not as good for your damage against a lot of targets since your hit rate falls. Evade for the 5+ invulnerable save is a solid choice and one I can see being paired with the stratagem especially if you only use a single hunter. Hawkeye is likely the best power in the options, allowing you to ignore the penalty for moving and firing heavy weapons… which means Crimson Hunter Exarch now hit on 2+…. Yeah ok. Strafing run gives them a minor reroll vs non fly targets which is ok but not great, especially with Hawkeye on the table. Eyes of khaine lets the exarch ignore cover in regards to saves which is again only ok. Aerial Manoeuvring is another ‘cute’ power allowing you to turn 180 degrees rather than 90 before moving but given how mobile the craftworld flyers are already, it’s a situational benefit at best. Expect a lot of Hawkeye Crimson Hunters across the table!

Warp Spiders

Swapping Iron Resolve for a new power isn’t a major loss but the options feel like we are back in fire dragon territory. Surprise assault is ok for rerolls on the unit the turn they Warp Strike. Withdraw is again a copy past of the scorpions and spears option but less useful here since you can leave combat easily and will have the fly keyword when you do so. Web of Deceit is probably the best bet allowing you once per battle to redeploy the unit following the usual rules – great for late game objectives. Spiders Lair requires the spiders to be in cover and then be charged to activate which when it only deals d3 mortal wounds just isn’t good enough. Flickering Assault sounds fine since you can pile in 6” until you realise you don’t want to be in combat. Spiders bite makes the Exarch that little bit more deadly with power blades but again, you don’t want to be in combat ideally. The Warp Spiders might be more useful than Fire Dragons but not by much and when that’s the bench mark, that’s not great

Shadow Spectres

Sadly, Phoenix Rising skipped over the Shadow Spectres completely! I’m not exactly shocked mind you given the units nature as a Forge World Unit. It would have been nice to have something mind you. Withdraw (yeah why not double up again) is an easy add and some sort of link fire for the exarch from the unit should be easy to add. Perhaps an additional penalty to hit of they don’t shoot… alas it doesn’t matter.

So there you have it. The Phoenix Rising rules seem so close to good and most of them are super easy to fix… which I find frustrating! Will we see more aspect warriors in Craftworld Armies as a result of Phoenix Rising? The answer is ‘It Depends’. I think the usual suspects like Crimson Hunter Exarchs, Dark Reapers and Shining Spears will continue to be used while Dire Avengers, Swooping Hawks and (dare I say it) striking scorpions might see an increase in use. Howling Banshees will get table time with new models for sure but are likely best as ynnari. As for my old friends the Warp Spiders and Fire Dragons… they will likely continue their well earned rest on the shelf.