What an absolute roller coaster of a hype train this has been!
We haven't seen a "brand new" faction since Kharadron Overlords, and Idoneth Deepkin has had more build up and anticipation for its release than I think I've ever seen around an army. From the adoration of the models and the love for aelves burning brightly, to the people buying aquarium terrain and bragging about how all of their Thralls are going to carry banners, Deepkin seems to be everywhere I look. So, let's dive into this.
Before we look at Enclaves, Battalions and the likes, lets do a quick overview of the Warscrolls! I'm not going to list off every single detail on every single scroll, because by this point, the scrolls are all available on the AOS App. Instead, I just want to highlight some things that got me super excited. I'm going to split them into three parts, looking at each of the three distinct castes within Deepkin society. We'll start with the Isharann.
ISHARANN
The Isharann include all of your foot heroes, a high caste that are integral for the survival of the Idoneth. On the table, these characters fill the role of utility and combo pieces, accentuating the strengths of the units around them.
Tidecasters are your main source of cheap magic (with your only other source of wizards being Eidolon of Mathlann or allies), and they're a pretty well rounded option. While they have an ability that allows you to change the tides if they're your general, I don't think Tidecasters are going to be leading too many armies. They will fit certain builds, but for many, the ability will not outweigh other, more versatile options. Tidecasters also come with a pretty nifty little Guardian, that negates the first wound they suffer each turn. Their warscroll spell is pretty good, and I think they will see a lot of table time!
Next, you have Soulscryers. If you're going to see Tidecasters a lot, be prepared to see Soulscryers everywhere you look! Scryers are Priests, making them vital for the reliability of Rituals (a very cool mechanic that triggers table-wide effects. They can pop up on a table edge with two units and pose a threat from unexpected quarters, as well as giving charge buffs to nearby units. This allows you to jump on a table edge 9" away from enemies, and the accompanying combat units only need to make a 6" charge! They're a great utility piece that brings a lot to the table, and they are great value no matter how you build your army. This is actually a standout character for the army in my eyes. Scryers are to Deepkin what Gutrot Spume is to Maggotkin, only more versatile, cheaper, significantly less survivable and they can bring two units of whatever they want. Scryers don't HAVE to go into reserves either; you could save a Scryer and some units until late in deployment, forcing your opponent to commit to a deployment style before you make the decision.
If you're running a big unit of Thralls, it makes perfect sense to include a Soulrender (or three). This is probably the most combat-oriented of the Isharann, but even then, he's not going to be hunting down Bloodthirsters or anything. His main use is replenishing the ranks of nearby Namarti units at the end of the battleshock phase, returning lost brothers to the fray. Considering the fragility of Namarti, this is a wise investment to support those large units of Thralls that are looking to get into a punch-on, or who are unfortunate enough to find themselves screening the rest of the army. It's very thematic of them to do so, after all... It's also worth noting that the Soulrender is a total boss of a model. He just looks like he means business!
Then we have Lotann. He is one of only two named characters in the entire battletome, but he is probably one of the most iconic model from the range, with his giant octopus familiar. The writhing tentacles give him a 5+ wound negation roll which is pretty handy, but it falls into the same trap as Tidecaster's Guardians. Thanks to the allegiance ability, it's either very hard to even inflict damage upon them, making their protection rendered unused, or they are the closest unit and are eating so much damage, a 5+ is not going to save them. Now, that doesn't mean that the saves aren't worth bothering with, because magic and combat still uses the conventional methods of making Deepkin not alive anymore! But like all Isharann, Lotann needs to be protected!
His other ability is a bravery boost for friends wholly within 12", and re-roll 1's to hit for Namarti within the same bubble.This is pretty useful, but again, will only be required in certain builds. I can see this guy being included in army lists purely for the painting element, because it's such a standout model.
While we're on the topic, I did want to touch on the "Wholly Within" trend. This seems to be the way things are going, and I think it's great. Basically, the whole premise is that if a single model from a unit is outside the range of the aura, the unit is not "wholly within" and doesn't benefit. This has been introduced before, but is particularly crucial for Deepkin, who build entire armies off auras. I think it's good for the game, as it rids the game of stringing out units with little daisy chains to tag an aura, benefitting units on the other side of the board (Bloodletters and Bloodsecrator, this means you!). It means people have to play smarter, and think ahead, and that's only going to nurture stronger, smarter play. Now, I've heard some people say that "Wholly Within" is too restrictive, but especially with Deepkin, the army is fast and mobile enough for this not to be an issue.
NAMARTI
Namarti really are the bottom feeders of the army. Nudge nudge...
But seriously, as far as generic battleline units go, Namarti Thralls are off chops! They're fast, they have rend, and they can put some serious hurt on massed infantry and monsters alike. They're not cheap, weighing in at 140 points for 10, but you get what you pay for, and they're not too shabby. These fill an important role in the army, as its looking like a really elite, low model count army, so a big block of infantry will be invaluable for nabbing those objectives. It needs to be said that the Icon Bearer rule has been picked up and run with by a small minority of the community, who are claiming that all models can be Icon Bearers. This will no doubt be FAQ'd into the ground, but it's pretty clear what the intent was here. If every model was meant to be an Icon Bearer, there'd be 10 Icons in the box.
The Namarti Reavers are super dynamic models, and offer some massed shooting. They have no rend, but I think they have the rate of fire and the mobility to play a part in the army. I don't think they're a must take, but in some armies, they will fill an important role!
AKHELIAN
Oh... baby...
This is easily my favourite caste. This is the martial force with all the sick sea creatures, and contains some of the scariest units in the army! So, let's start off with style and go straight for the generals, Volturnos and the Akhelian Kings.
I think Volturnos is a really solid character. He comes with a 3+ save, 8 wounds, he doesn't lose any power when he's damaged, and he's FAST! His command ability is great, his bravery and attack auras are great, he does mortal wounds on the charge, he's no slouch in combat (can you say Rend -5?) and his shield can turn off spells that target him on a 3+!! All for 280 points. That's a bargain. I think the "named character tax" is a thing of the past, because the named characters we've seen in the last few books have been pointed very competitively with their generic counterparts (yes, Rotigus. I mean you.).
That's not to say the Akhelian King isn't also a great choice. He doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but he's 40 points cheaper, has a pretty nasty Bladed Polearm (easily my top pick of weapon options for him!), and most importantly, he can take an Artefact and a Command Trait. A really solid choice!
Then, let's talk about giant, flying death turtles! The Leviadon is not only a great centrepiece for any Idoneth army, but it's the linchpin to many armies. It emits a 12" Cover bubble (that the Leviadon itself as well as Allopexes can't benefit from, having the Monster keyword), it's tough as nails if you do decide to give your opponent the opportunity to shoot it, and it can bite the head off just about any hero unfortunate enough to be wandering around when it gets hungry. As a whole, for 380 points, it doesn't seem over the top (when you consider murder machines like Skarbrand are only 400), but it isn't so much there to mash the enemy as it is to stay alive and keep its friends alive.
The Allopex, in my mind, is probably the hardest unit to define. I feel like it falls into the weird place between elite multi-wound unit, tiny monster and gun platform. The shooting options are pretty cool, but a bit of a surprise. Neither have any rend, but I think the Net Launcher is probably the better of the two. Sure, you might pass your armour save, but if you don't it's a flat three damage. The combat profiles are also pretty nice, but the hard thing is finding a role for it. The Allopex comes across as a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. But then again, the Khorgorath was in that same boat, and now, Khorgorath packs are surprisingly scary. I could be wrong, and I hope so, because let's be real for a second...
I think all Age of Sigmar players can get behind the idea of sharks with harpoon launchers!!
Then come the eel cavalry. There are two varieties, and while they have their own unique titles (Morrsarr Guard and Ishlaen Guard, for those reading at home), they have since been dubbed Offence Eels and Defence Eels, for very good reason.
The Morrsarr guard fill the role of shock cavalry. They are built for one thing and one thing alone; cataclysmic charges. They get extra rend and extra damage on the charge, and once per game, can unleash the might of their electric eels upon their hapless foes. These are a really important unit in the army, because while Deepkin have a lot of tricks, they have very few hammer units that can smash through a big unit of Liberators, or an elite monster with relative ease. You can give them more attacks with certain command abilities, to get the most out of them on that ever-so-vital High Tide, and there are plenty of re-rolls to be had, if you have those auras up!
The last Akhelian unit, and in my eyes, the single most powerful unit in the book, is the Ishlaen Guard. This is for two very, very good reasons. The first being the Biovoltaic Barrier; this allows the unit to ignore the rend characteristic of attacks when making save rolls. Now, this isn't to be confused with Nighthaunt, who ignore positive and negative modifiers. You can boost these guys up to a 2+ save with very little effort, either with cover (natural or from the Leviadon), Mystic Shield or by the save bonus when you charge. The second reason is Forgotten Nightmares, the allegiance ability that forces your opponent to shoot the closest unit. By doing so, you're compelling shooting armies (Kharadron Overlords, Free Peoples, Wanderers, the list goes on...) to pump high-value, high-rend shots into a unit that doesn't care. A Barak Zilfin "Clown Car" can be blunted by a very small number of Ishlaen Guard. And while they don't stop mortal wounds, they're still four wounds each, so its going to take some work to put them down for good.
And their power is not limited to shooting. The unit has a massive footprint, and you can very easily close off an entire lane on the board by either using them as a defensive screen against high-rend combat troops, or to go on the offensive themselves and pin units in place with no real danger of taking significant damage. This unit is not powerful because of how much damage it causes, but because of the persistent impact it has on your opponent and how they are forced to play the game. I'm yet to draft a Deepkin list that doesn't have a unit of six Ishlaen Guard in it.
BIG WAVE
It wouldn't be a review without touching on the two Aspects! The model is phenomenal, and both aspects have rules to match! While the Aspect of the Storm is going to cause absolute mayhem in combat, I think the Apsect of the Sea is a standout. He's a powerful wizard, he has a great shooting attack, can heal himself with relative impunity, and emits a +3 Bravery aura! Reading his spell, Tsunami of Terror had me really concerned at first, but seeing his price tag, its appropriately powerful. Again, I've heard people getting excited by the fact that he's not a Monster, and can therefore go on a Balewind, but I honestly don't think Balewinds have a place in Idoneth Deepkin. I don't think the Aspect of the Sea NEEDS a Balewind. He can already re-roll to cast, he doesn't need the protection from shooting, it's easy enough to get him to a 2+ save, and if he somehow does find himself in a spot of bother, there's a nifty little Artefact called the Cloud of Midnight, that will give him a second chance to get away. Sure, the Balewind increases the range, but with the speed of the army and of the Aspect, does he really need it? In an army this elite and tight for points, I can think of far better uses for 100 points.
Besides, I'd put money on significant changes happening to the Balewind Vortex in GHB18...
ENCLAVES AND BATTALIONS
Something that came as a pleasant surprise to me, when making notes and reading through the book is that list-building is quite intuitive. You like Namarti? There are units, battalions and enclaves that focus on Namarti. Akhelians are spoilt for choice with their battalion, characters, so on and so forth. Whether you like magic, janky movement tricks, messing with the tide or just caving heads in, there's an Enclave for you. And no one Enclave stands out as the "best" one. There is no Barak Zilfin, Hagg Nar of Khailebron here. Each has a purpose, and all seem very well balanced among their peers.
There's the obligatory super battalion that will never see the table in anything but the most titanic of games, as well as an Idoneth/Sylvaneth Battalion that I think lacks the flexibility or direction to make it better value than just allying in your favourite Sylvaneth unit into the army.
But the Royal Council is great, as it contains three characters that will quite likely already be in your list, and gives a cheeky speed boost to nearby units. The Namarti Corps builds on the concept of huge blocks of infantry being replenished as they navigate the battle. And the Akhelian Corps encompasses all of the martial units in a neat little package that gives re-rolls when you need them most on those crucial roles, making already impressive units very reliable!
They're all pretty cheap too, with the highest costed Battalion coming in at only 140. Considering how much control Idoneth have over the pace of the game, and how good their artefacts are, decreasing your drops is made very easy!
OVERALL IMPRESSION
This is a really interesting book, and is somewhat reminiscent of older editions of the Eldar for 40k. Every unit has a task that they are fantastic at, and it's all about using those units in conjuction to get the most out of them. Leave a unit unsupported, and it will be overwhelmed. There's not really an "all comers" spam unit that just solves every problem, but I can see big 30-strong Thrall units and big units of Ishlaen Guard being a very common sight, and for good reason. Forgotten Nightmares functions as a hard counter to several of the shooting armies out there, but isn't necessarily going to save the army from missile fire. Sure, the opponent might not have a choice of what it shoots, but whatever it does shoot is going to have to deal with some serious heat! Not to mention, there are several shooting builds that are incredibly mobile, and will simply attack from an angle that lets them shoot their intended victims anyway.
I think the Tides of Death is a very powerful mechanic, but requires an immense amount of board and pace control from the Idoneth player, who must be able to manipulate, speed up and slow down the pace of the game to suit them. Thinking two turns ahead and making sure all the pieces are in the right places will be key, and when a player masters it, they will be very hard to beat!
On the other side of the coin, the challenge for players facing Idoneth Deepkin is to not let themselves play reactively. The minute you settle into a reactive mindset, waiting for your opponent to make moves and try and counter them, is the minute the Deepkin control the game. They are faster than almost any other army in the game (almost...), and they can dance circles around most armies. I believe you need to really make your own moves and play your own game. Put the Idoneth on the back foot, catch out units where you see an opportunity, and most importantly (and I say this for every player, no matter what army you use or face), the best way to force mistakes and errors from your opponent, is to play the scenario above everything else. If you're ahead on the scoreboard, suddenly Deepkin are reacting to you, trying to reverse the tide of battle before they end up being washed out (I'm sorry... I couldn't leave a good dad joke unsaid). If Deepkin are faster than you, let them be faster. You march at that objective. They can be as fast as they want, but if your flag is on the hill, it means nothing.
Easier said than done, though, right?
Deepkin are not a slaughter army like Daughters of Khaine or Blades of Khorne. I've heard a lot of people upset that they just don't have the killing power to put opponents down. But I genuinely don't think that's even close to what the army is designed to do.
It controls the board and it stays alive. And any Age of Sigmar player will tell you; that wins games.
All in all, I think Idoneth Deepkin are a super-cool, super-elite army that has a lot of cogs to make up one single, cohesive machine. They're going to give people some serious headaches, and I think you'll see them pop up on the competitive scene pretty quickly. They're not unbeatable, and they're not bulletproof. There's still that air of fragility to the army, despite it's many, many defensive tricks. There's a great deal of player skill involved to really squeeze the true potential out of the army and I can't wait to see players rise to the challenge.
I haven't really touched on Allies (of which there are plenty of candidates!) or Idoneth being allies for other Order armies, but that's a conversation for another day, and is an avenue rich for exploring by savvy players.
What do you think? Are you diving in headfirst? Or are you worried that Deepkin may come crashing down and put a lot of opponents... out of their depth?
That was the last one, I promise... ;)
Let me know in those comments, and thanks for reading
Gabe
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