OLD:Shadow Stalkers Tactics
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| Shadow Stalkers | ||
| File:Shadow-stalkers.webp | ||
| Setting: | Age of Fantasy | |
| Games: | Age of Fantasy, Age of Fantasy: Skirmish, Age of Fantasy: Regiments | |
| Species: | Unknown | |
Note: as v2.50 is in constant development the following might not be accurate.
Why play Shadow Stalkers?
The Shadow Stalkers are a rather elusive sect of undead, less built for upfront assault but rather preferring clinging to cover before striking their enemies.
Pros
- Undead offsets morale issues
- Stealth provides plenty of protection in cover
- Your heroes pack Fear to break herds
Cons
- Shooting is next-to-nonexistent
- A lack of delivery options for your army
Special Rules
- Undead: Your models all auto-pass morale checks, which is great. Instead, you need to roll a d6 for each remaining model/Tough wound in the unit; any time you roll a 1 or 2, they suffer a wound that bypasses Regeneration.
Wizard Spells
- Haunted (4+): Enemy unit within 12" takes -2 to their next morale check. Great for crushing herds before they decide to flee.
- Spectral Light (4+): Enemy unit within 24" must take a morale check; failing inflicts three AP 1 hits.
- Cobweb (5+): Friendly unit within 12" adds +1 to their defense for their next activation. While anything with a 5+ defense won't see much difference, a 4+ defense being upped will mean a good lot more.
- Chill of Death (5+): Enemy model within 12" takes four hits. Not exactly the best sniping spell, but it has its uses.
- Possessed (6+): One enemy unit must take a morale check; if they fail, you get to charge them at their friends. This can be especially annoying for your blocks who are suddenly forced to kill their reinforcements rather than attacking their real enemies.
- Thorn Vines (6+): Two enemy units within 12" take four AP 2 hits each, making this a good mix between herd management and elite denting.
Unit Analysis
Heroes
- Scarecrow King: The Scarecrow King is the closest you have to a real beatstick hero. While the Shade can be argued to be a better hero, the king has the option for other weapons better suited for a variety of enemies. He also can also buy the Pumpkin King rule, allowing an attached pack of scarecrows to become 4+ quality, an effective bunker.
- Shade: Arguably your best hero, with a 3+ to quality and defense as well as Strider for additional mobility and AP 1 weapons to handle armored infantry. That said, it's static loadout means that once you throw in monsters or heavily armored units, that viability starts drying up without some support.
- Banshee: Unlike the Ghostly or Vampiric Undead variants, this version has no ability to shoot and is largely weaker compared to the other heroes. So what is their role? That's being mobile wizards.
- Horror: Even lesser than banshees, losing out on Strider and having only a 5+ for defense. While it can also be a wizard, it can also buy Vicious Aura, allowing an attached unit to use Poison - very important for making the most out of your army.
Infantry
- Scarecrows: These effectively act as your equivalent to the basic infantry, capable of picking up whatever weapons they need in order to serve. This can especially prove to be important when using them as a bodyguard for a scarecrow king with Pumpkin King to improve their Quality.
- Phantoms: Phantoms are slightly more elite than the scarecrows with a 4+ quality and Flying, but their applications are narrower than you think. With no weapon options, they won't mean much against armor. None of your Heroes have Flying, and even the Shade only has Strider which limits verticality - all things you'll need to consider if you bring them as a bodyguard unit rather than harassers.
- Reapers: Even more elite phantoms with 3+ quality and AP 1 on their weapons. The only real sacrifice here is the loss of Strider, an inconvenience depending on the hero you accompany them with (if at all). They'll likely be best served by cleaning up messes other units start.
- Spectres: Pretty much your only source of shooting. Though fairly mediocre with a 5+ to quality and shooting, their shadowbolts have decent range and carry AP 1, helping soften up units. Fortunately, Strider allows them to go where they wish without much hassle.
- Shadowhounds: Your war beasts have a pretty strong offering, with Regeneration for defense and Impact and Fast to help make sure you get stuck in as soon as possible. You can grab Scout in order to get them in even sooner (like Turn 1 sooner) or Poison to pile on the damage.
- Beast Swarms: Beast Swarms tend to be little more than distractions and fodder, though these are a bit better protected by Stealth and Strider. Fortunately, you can buy them Ambush, making them the ultimate distractions you can raise against the enemy. You can also apply Poison for those lucky hits to really hurt.
- Scorpion Fiends: They won't offer as much on the charge, but it's hard to argue against AP 1 attacks with Poison.
- Butchers: Your most elite beatsticks, each afforded 3+ quality and the option to purchase either great weapons or paired weapons depending on what you want to carve up the most. If there's any major drawback to taking them, it's their lack of any mobility options, as they don't get Strider to go through terrain.
- Horror Swarm: A small monster more than the average swarm unit, this unit carries a bundle of attacks meant to irritate whoever it comes across.
- Mind Shriek: Slightly higher quality than the horror swarm and equipped with Strider to help it get around. Rather unusually, this can actually act as a backup wizard as well as a beatstick.
Monsters
- Shadow Cyclops: Your genuine monster keeps all the sneaky shenanigans your army is best known for while also possessing man-crushing AP 3 attacks, made to flatten anything short of another monster, and even monsters would have reason to see it as a threat.
- Cthulu Terror: While not quite as much geared towards monsters, this abomination is just as capable of taking a hit from one if not more so thanks to Regeneration. It also possesses Ensnare, an ability that makes those attacking it have a disadvantage up close, better for blobs of infantry (its favored pray). Its great weakness is artillery and other dedicated cannons, which it won't be able to avoid as easily - especially if they pack Rending.
List Building & Tactics
General Advice
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Tactics
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See Also
| Shadow Stalkers |
|---|
| Overview - Tactics - Skirmish Tactics - Miniatures - Quickplay Armies - Skirmish Quickplay Armies |
