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When Ios itself is threatened, the Homeguard Coalition leverages the assets of all the halltyr to form an army made up of the diverse forces of housguard warriors and the combined might of countless Iosan houses.
Theme Rules
- For the core rules on how Theme Forces work, see this article.
Theme Restrictions
An army made use the Defenders of Ios theme force can include only the following Retribution models:
- This army can also include one Mercenary solo and one Mercenary unit that will work for Retribution.
- These models/units can be included even if they have the Partisan [Retribution] rule.
- Mercenary units can have non-Ranking Officer attachments
Full model list
The models allowed in
Defenders of Ios are:
[Show/Hide]
This list was last updated: 2021.10 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Retribution warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character warjacks
- Hypnos
- Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Battle Engines
Units
Solos
Mercenaries
- Up to one Mercenary unit
- Up to one Mercenary solo
(★)
Because these models are specifically allowed in this theme, they don't use up your Mercenary slot. Requisition Options
Each Requistion Point can be spent on either:
- One Retribution weapon crew unit
- One Retribution command attachment
- Two Ghost Sniper solos
- Two Houseguard Thane solos
- Two Lys Healer solos
- One other small- or medium-based Retribution solo with a points cost of 5 or less
Theme Bonuses
- Retribution solos, House Vyre Electromancer units, and Stormfall Archer units in this army gain Reposition [3˝].
- Reposition [3"] - At the end of an activation in which it did not run or fail a charge, a model with Reposition [3"] can advance up to 3", then its activation ends.
- Before models are deployed at the start of the game, you can place a wall template anywhere completely within 20" of the rear table edge of your deployment zone. The template cannot be placed within 3˝ of an obstacle or obstruction. The template is an obstacle that grants cover.
Recent Changes
2021.10 Mega Update
- The free solo now has to cost 5 points or less
Thoughts on Defenders of Ios
Defenders of Ios in a nutshell
These is a theme all about infantry. Mobile shooting infantry to be precise. It allows Stormfall Archers, House Vyre Electromancers, and solos to hit & run, and melee units to engage faster.
While Legions of Dawn focuses more on the melee aspect of Retribution with Flanking Myrmidons, Sentinels and Destors, Defenders employs shooting of extreme quality and nothing exemplifies this more that the Arcantric Force Generator only available in this theme. It's a giant control piece threatening to set up assassinations and also increases the range of Myrmidon guns and at least one, possibly two, should be taken at all times. More powerful shooting can be found in the units in Riflemen, Nyss Hunters, Stromfall Archers and Heavy Rifle Teams, but also in the solos with Eiryss1, 2 and 4 as well as Ghost Snipers. As the theme gives all the solos Reposition 3" and lets you take two Ghost Snipers as a single requisition option, it makes them extremely compelling choices. The theme doen't lack for good melee pieces either, though, offering you the choice between Halberdiers, Ryssovass and their respective solos and Swordsmen. Thus you can alternae between gunlines, triple battle engine lists, or a combined arms approach, giving you extreme flexibility.
Theme Weaknesses
Defenders is the most flexible theme in Retribution and any potential weakness a particular model/unit may have can be mitigated by ypur overall list build.
Low POW
Defenders of Ios isn't the most hard hitting theme.
Low scenario presence
It is not great at scenario owing to to the inherent weaknesses of Retribution infantry (cannot weather an alpha, cannot rely on caster intervention, feats aside, to help them hit harder).
Terrain mitigation
There is an almost complete absence of Pathfinder in the list which can only be solved by two casters and a third's feat.
List-Building Tips
This is a very flexible theme, as mentioned above, which makes it hard to give any generic tips.
It is noteable that between Ryssovass and Ghost Snipers, you can have an army where almost everything does targeted damage.
Casters with mass stationary (such as Goreshade4 and Kaelyssa) can abuse Electromancers and/or Eiryss1 to render enemy jacks useless for a round. First make the warjack stationary, then disrupt them so they get no focus to shake it.
Starting a 25 point Brawl list
In 2021.05 Phillip Melvin, one of the LOS authors, put together this list for the Brawlmachine format. It was then updated for the 2021.10 errata. He even wrote about it's playstyle and expanding it beyond 25 points, which you can read here
- Ravyn1: [+28 WJP]
- House Ellowuyr Warden Executioner: [6 pts]
- Houseguard Thane: [3 pts]
- Arcanist Mechanik: [2 pts]
- Stormfall Archers: [7 pts]
- House Vyre Electromancers: [5 pts]
- Heavy Rifle Team: [Free] (3 pts)
Similarly in 2020.11 Jaden Iwassa, another LOS author, put together this list and article.
- Kaelyssa1: [+29 WJP]
- Arcanist Mechanik: [2 pts]
- Eiryss1: [Free] (7 pts)
- Scythe: [6 pts]
- Houseguard Halberdiers (Min unit) [8 pts]
- Officer & Standard: [4 pts]
Total RRP: USD $200 (based on PP's online store prices 2021.04)|
- Note - This list/article was written before the 2021.10 Errata and therefore may have incorrect point values. In addition Kaelyssa has been added to the Epic list as of the Brawlmachine 1.2 Update.
For more Brawlmachine list ideas, see Category: Brawl List
Casters
- Kaelyssa, Night's Whisper - She loves AFGs to put refuge on and Blur is excellent on any of the bigger units. As mentioned above she also like Electromancers to follow up her stationary shots.
- Lord Ghyrrshyld, the Forgiven - He makes everything better and having a horde of angry Nyss capitalise on his ARM debuff and excellent shooting to make use of his anti stealth makes him feel right at home in this theme. Also, again, his feat and Electromancers go very well together.
- Lord Arcanist Ossyan - He cranks up anything shooty to eleven and unless Mage HUnter Strike Forces are your jam, you won't find better shooting anywhere else.
- Elara, Death's Shadow - Halberdiers under feat and Scything Touch are extremely fast and hit like a ton of bricks.
- Adeptis Rahn - Probably better in Forges but if he uses his kit to make Nyss Hunters not die to blasts and uses Priests of Nyssor and Lanyssa, backed up by his beloved Sphinx, for his feat he can make the theme work for him.
- Issyria, Sibyl of Dawn - She makes the list blindingly (heh) fast and her feat does wonders for anything shooty.
- Thyron, Sword of Truth - It's the home theme of his designated unit, the Swordsmen, and Spell Piercing Heave Rifle Teams are the icing on the cake.
Other
Trivia
Released in the themeopaclypse (2017.09)
Other Retribution themes/models
Rules Clarifications
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Rules Clarification : Reposition (Edit)
- Models out of formation cannot move via Reposition. Refer to the "Out of Formation" rules in the core rulebook.
- End of Activation (Edit)
- You cannot resolve two end-of-activation movement effects (refer to "End of Activation Movement" in the core rulebook). For EOA stuff that doesn't involve movement, though, it gets a bit more murky:
- Some EOA abilities explicitly state your activation ends as part of resolving the ability (like Reposition), and some don't (like Refuge).
- Whether it is explicit it or not, by definition an EOA ability is the last thing you can do for that activation. For instance, if you resolve Refuge and then continue your activation to cast more spells, then you have not used Refuge at the end of your activation.
- You cannot do an "at any time" ability during or after triggering an EOA ability; you cannot cast spells, purchase additional attacks, use a mini-feat, etc.
- If you start resolving an EOA movement (such as Reposition) then you cannot trigger abilities that occur "at any time" (such as Go To Ground). Because you can't trigger it while resolving the EOA movement, and after the EOA movement your activation has ended. (Infernal Ruling)
- For units: if any model in the unit starts resolving the unit's EOA movement, then no model in the unit can trigger an any-time ability. (Infernal Ruling)
- See also the training article: LPG - End of Activation.
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Rules Clarification: Theme Forces (Edit)
Themes that change a model's Faction [Show/Hide]
- Many themes swap which Faction a model counts as. They're slightly inconsistent with how exactly this is worded. Despite this inconsistency - whenever a model is considered a different faction to normal, it will not be its original faction. (Infernal Ruling)
- For instance Lukas stops being a Crucible Guard model when taken in an Infernal army, and as a consequence he cannot take Toros or Vanguards in Infernals. (Infernal Ruling)
Rerolling the starting roll [Show/Hide]
- You cannot use the theme benefit to reroll if it is a draw. Instead both players reroll until there is a loser, and then the loser can use their reroll benefit (if they have it). (Infernal Ruling)
- If both players have a reroll, first the original loser uses their reroll.
- If the original loser still loses, fine.
- If the original loser now wins, the other player can use their reroll.
- If it is now a draw, both players reroll until there is a loser. Then the player that hasn't used their theme benefit reroll can still use it, if they want.
Warjacks/Warbeasts with bonds [Show/Hide]
- A warjack/warbeast with a bond can always be included in a theme force, whether or not they're in the list of allowed models, but only if they're controlled by that bonded model.
- This applies even if that bonded model isn't a full warcaster/warlock (changed as of 2018.06).
Including Mercenaries [Show/Hide]
Number of Mercenaries
- If your "up to one Merc" ...
- ... can take warbeasts/warjacks, then you can add warbeast(s)/warjack(s) (without exceeding your "up to one" allowance)
- ... comes with a Companion model, then you'll get that Companion (without exceeding your "up to one" allowance)
- There is a bug in Warroom that allows you to not only take one Merc solo/unit, but the entire FA of that Merc solo/unit. It's a bug.
Mercenaries and Ranking Officers
- Adding a Ranking Officer to a Merc unit doesn't increase the number of Merc units you can take.
Other
- See also the section on Partisans
Including Partisan Mercenaries [Show/Hide]
Partisans & Theme Forces (Edit)
- Partisans are Mercenary/Minion models, so there are two ways you can add them to a theme force:
- Freely: If the Partisan is on the list of allowed models, then you can take as many as you want plus another Mercenary unit/solo. (Infernal Ruling)
- They can be explicitly allowed (for example Jaws of the Wolf allows "Kayazy models/units" so Partisan Kayayz can be used freely).
- They can be implicitly allowed (for example Scourge of the Broken Coast allows "living Cryx models/units" and Partisan Cephalyx fit that criteria, so they can be used freely). (Infernal Ruling)
- Limited: If the Partisan isn't on the list of allowed models, it does use up your "Up to one Mercenary/Minion" slot, so you can only have the one.
- Whether you used option 1 or 2 above, once they're in your theme force they count as a Faction model and so:
- They can be taken as a Requistion Option (if they fit the Requistion description).
- For example Lanyssa can be taken as a free solo in the Legion of Dawn theme. (Infernal Ruling)
- They will get any theme benefit that they fit the description for.
- For example Storm Division gives all Cygnar models Immunity Electricity, so Partisan Mercs in that theme get immunity too.
- For example Nemo4's Mechaniks get Reposition [3] in Heavy Metal. (Infernal Ruling)
Requisition Points [Show/Hide]
- You can choose the same Requisition option as many times as you like, as long as it doesn't put you over a FA limit.
- You can't mix and match models from different options. Say one option allows 3 Machine Wraiths and another allows 3 Necrotechs. You can't use your Requisition Point to get 2 Wraiths and 1 Necrotech.
- If you have an option that allows one other solo, you can't use it to get something already on the list. For instance, Ghost Fleet allows 3 Misery Cages (which are FA 4) for one Requistion Point, and it allows 1 other solo. That "other solo" can't be a 4th Cage.
- If your theme allows "3 weapon attachments" as a Requistion Option, you can spread them into different units. (Locked Thread)
- Models with the Man-Sized rule count as small-based models for the purposes of being a Requistion Option. (Locked Thread)
Free models and Specialists (ADR) [Show/Hide]
- If your theme only allows one merc solo, you can't have one in your main list and a different one in your specialists.
Unit Attachments [Show/Hide]
- If a unit is allowed in a theme, any-and-all of its attachments are allowed too. Exception: Ranking Officers are not allowed unless explicitily mentioned.
- If the theme force gives a benefit to a specific unit, any-and-all attachments to that unit will benefit too. Even if it is a "generic" attachment like the Void Leech. (Infernal Ruling)
For example, a Trollkin Sorcerer will gain Serenity if its attached to a Dhunian Knot unit in a Power of Dhunia theme force.
- If your theme allows "3 weapon attachments" as a Requistion Option, you can spread them into different units. (Locked Thread)
- A non-character unit with a character attachment (i.e. Captain Karli) still counts as a non-character unit. (Infernal Ruling)
When to apply theme benefits [Show/Hide]
- With reference to special abilities that themes give to models, Ranking Officers, adding new models, and/or taking control of models:
- Theme force benefits are applied when you construct your list or put a new model into play. A model already in play will not lose or gain any theme benefits mid-game based on any changes of faction status or otherwise. (Infernal Ruling)
- However, if the theme gives a benefit to models "at the beginning of the game" (such as Devourer's Host letting models begin the game with 1 corpse token) then this benefit does not apply to new models that are put into play mid-game. (Locked Thread)
- Example 1: Sons of the Tempest says "ATGM units in this army gain Pistoleer". If your opponent takes control of one of them, it keeps Pistoleer while under their control even though it's currently not "in the army".
- Example 2: Storm Division gives Immunity:Electricity to "Cygnar models in the army." If you include a Mercenary unit with a Ranking Officer, they will get the theme benefit and also keep it even after the Ranking Officer dies.
- Example 3: Stange Bedfellows gives solos Swift Vengeance. If Nemo4 creates a new solo mid-game, that solo will have Swift Vengeance.
See also these Theme-Specific Rulings [Show/Hide]
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Rules Clarification : Black Industries (Edit)
- The entry which allows "Cephalyx models/units" only applies to Partisan Cephalyx. That's because the theme's rules start off with "this army can only include the following Cryx models". Partisan Cephalyx are the only ones that fill that condition.
- The Cephalyx Agitator also works for Cryx and can go in Black Industries but, because it is not a Partisan, it will use up your Mercenary solo slot.
- (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification : The Creator's Might (Edit)
- Elias Gade is allowed in Creator's Might. (Infernal Ruling)
- You can spend the "Two Vassal solos" requistion option on one Vassal Mechanik and one Vassal of Menoth. Warroom has a bug and tells you that you can't. (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification : Flame in the Darkness (Edit)
- You can take any number of Mercenary jacks. You can also select two additional jacks from Khador and Cygnar in any combination you like. Character warjacks with a bond don't count against this limit of 2. (Infernal Ruling)
- There is a bug in Warroom that allows you to take two Cygnar and two Khador jacks.
- Morrowan Battle Priest:
- If your warcaster is a Cygnar model that makes every unit you take a Cygnar unit, and Battle Priests can be attached to any unit.
Warroom has a known bug where it doesn't allow this interaction.
- If your warcaster is a Mercenary or Khador model, though, the only units the Battle Priest can attach to are the Morrow ones.
- If you attach the Battle Priest to The Devil's Shadows Mutineers then it can be returned via Blood Bound. (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification : The Bones of Orboros (Edit)
- Una1 cannot be taken in this theme (yet) due to the conflict between the theme's "Only Construct warbeasts allowed" and Una1's "Must take warbeasts with flight". There are no construct warbeasts with flight (yet). But if/when there is, then Una1 can be taken in this theme. (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification : The Devourer's Host (Edit)
- Bradigus1 is not legal in this theme. The theme only allows living warbeasts, his rules only allow construct warbeasts, and you can't just 'skip' his battlegroup - you have to spend your warbeast points.
- If you create a new model mid-game (ie with the Well of Orboros and that model can have corpse tokens, that model does not enter play with a corpse. Because it's not the beginning of the game. (Locked thread)
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Rules Clarification : The Wild Hunt (Edit)
- The animus benefit doesn't apply to enemy warbeasts. (Infernal Ruling)
- The animus benefit doesn't stack with the Druid Wilder's Herding ability. (Infernal Ruling)
- When it comes to other things that alter COST (such as Lamentation), follow basic maths: Double/halve first, then add/subtract.
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Rules Clarification : The Exalted (Edit)
- If a Construct model loses the Construct advantage mid-game, it keeps the theme benefit anyway. (Infernal Ruling)
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Rules Clarification : Band of Heroes (Edit)
- Boomhowler2 uses up your Minion slot. His Fell Calls ability is not enough to make him a "Fell Caller model/unit". (Infernal Ruling)
- Boomhowler3 does not use up your minion slot on account of having the Champion keyword.
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Rules Clarification : Magnum Opus (Edit)
- If Mosby is attached to a Mercenary weapon crew unit, they would gain 3" reposition and would not lose it if Mosby is no longer in the unit. (Infernal Ruling)
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