Dalamar is just dealing in semantics. He is aware of the rule, he is just citing the armybook name of the rule rather than the phrase given to the rumored rule by the online community.
I think the disadvantage of true line-of-sight for the dragonlord will be counter-balanced by not having +1 to hit. Also, smart use of difficult terrain should let you stack plenty of soft and hard cover penalties as you fly your dragon into combat. Now, this doesn't help very much against cannons, but it's very strong versus bolt throwers and armies with a lot of low-value missile fire.
Do we know if fliers are still impeded by woods, like they were in 7th edition? Depending on the wording, I expect a lot of players will land their dragon in or near forest, then charge forward using ground movement while gaining bonuses for cover.
fliers can take damage entering and leaving various terrain pieces, but not moving about in them, i don't think anything is slowed down by woods (other than having to use ground move on flyers i think)
I think the steadfast rule only applies to units that are engaged to the front, if you hit them in the flank they lose steadfast and then break tests are modified.
I think the dragonlord definatly still has a role (and not just his 18" leaadership bubble). Though with the 25% lord cap there really isn't going to be room for him in games under 3k.
Aeth wrote:I think the steadfast rule only applies to units that are engaged to the front, if you hit them in the flank they lose steadfast and then break tests are modified.
I think the dragonlord definatly still has a role (and not just his 18" leaadership bubble). Though with the 25% lord cap there really isn't going to be room for him in games under 3k.
2500pts you get 600 or so for lord. My old combo was only 575 so can fit him in just nothing else!
Its fitting other things in I think that is the issue, with the bigger focus on infantry and the need to have banners to claim objectives those extra points will quickly get swallowed up.
The dragon will get thunderstomp which is D6 hits at its strength after all other close combat attacks are resolved, not impact hits. It now gets only one breath weapon attack per game (either as a shooting attack or as a 2D6 attacks in close combat). Terror is no longer as good either. But the dragon will cause terror checks and fleeing if failed when charging, which can be very useful against Skaven, which we are seeing a lot of and will see more of in 8th ed. Also, if the enemy unit passed its terror check, it must still check for fear at the beginning of combat and have WS=1 if the fear check fails. Attacking the flanks of a horde unit denies any supporting attacks and limits the attacks back. Just make sure the dreadlord is well armoured and has a regen or ward save (with new ward saves available in common magic items) if you are going that route. If you break or panic a unit and it flees, it will cause panic tests in any units within 6" or any units that the fleeing unit flees through. Also, fleeing will deny the rank bonus to Skaven LD and likely send the unit fleeing off the board.
Finally, the +1 BS bonus to shoot large targets is gone in 8th ed. but large targets do not get soft or hard cover bonuses and can be shot through forests and most obstacles with true lint of sight. But a general on a large target ahs an 18" inspiring leadership ranke, instead of 12".
Also, attacking in the flank will not break ranks (now called "disruption": must be at least two ranks and at least five common models wide) in 8th ed. and never takes away the steadfast special rule when the unit is hit in the flank.
Still dragons with megastomp and breathweapon (2d6 str4 at models I) should lead to a farely decent amount of kills which will mean it can take on smaller units solo or really help in reducing enemy ranks when hitting the flank of an enemy which is already pinned by say spearmen to the front.
It just won't be able to take out a unit of 50 guys alone anymore (which does kinda make sense).
Its intersting to see, with this merged profile thing, how AoLD works (and, in general, how you use items that confer bonus to stats). A t7 w7 dragonlord, with enough free points to squeeze a pendnt in, would be pretty durable, even when it risks being stupid, and would leave out any hitty stuff like swords etc. To get rid of the bugger with a single spell or warmchine shot you would need either a very, very lucky strike, and not all armies can afford protracted fire from a dedicated battery, not everyone plays dwarves or empire. Still pretty much every army has multiple wounds causing things now, and sometimes very cheap ones, so the dragonlord would still need to get in combat asap, but that was the plan from the start, right?
I'm pleased that there are some very clear pros and cons of using a Dreadlord on dragon. Inability to negate/break ranks, true line-of-sight, loss of Hatred on the mount, and one-use-only breath weapons being the most notable drawback. On the flip side, you gain increased range for Leadership 10, no more +1 to hit, and Thunderstomp attacks.
Ultimately, I think that's a strong tradeoff. The fact that most rank-and-file regiments will almost always be Stubborn against a dragon should do a lot to repair their reputation.
No.
Profiles combine with Pegasus, nothing larger.
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