Hellmouth

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Hellmouth Legion Unit

Few of the dragon Everblight’s creations invoke as much fear as the blighted nightmare that is the hellmouth. Erupting from beneath the ground to unleash terror and consume flesh, this horrific subterrestrial beast uses its spiked tentacles to drag its hapless victims into its waiting maw.

Hellmouth, the Legion of Everblight unit Hellmouth, the spell

Basic Info

Hellmouth

Hellmouth
Missing Info
	COST {{{cacost}}} UNIT SIZE {{{casize}}} FA {{{cafa}}} Stats: Mouth / Tendrils BASE Large / Medium SPD - / 5 STR {{{str}}} MAT 6 RAT N/A M.A. N/A DEF 10 ARM 18 / 15 CMD 8 / - ESSENCE {{{essence}}} FOCUS N/A FURY N/A THRS N/A HP 8 / 1 F. Field N/A WJP {{{wjp}}} WBP {{{wbp}}} IHP {{{ihp}}} FA 2 UNIT SIZE 1 Mouth 3 Tendrils COST 6 N/A N/A N/A Warcaster 1 COST N/A N/A Understanding the Statblock

Abilities

• Officer
• Soulless
• Buried - This model has no Normal Movement, cannot become knocked down, and cannot be moved or placed.
• Circular Vision - Models never gain a back strike bonus against this model.
• Distant Deployment - This model can be placed at the same time as your models with Advance Deployment, up to 12" beyond your deployment zone.
• Impervious Flesh - When this model suffers a damage roll, roll one fewer die.
• Inscrutable - Opponents cannot take control of this model.
• Tendrils - If there are fewer than three Tentacles in this unit in play during your Maintenance Phase, you can add to play one Tentacle, in formation. If this model is destroyed or RFP'd, the Tentacles in its unit are RFP'd. If a Tentacle in this unit moves or is placed outside this model's command range, RFP the Tentacle.

Weapons

Maw
		RNG				POW				P+S
		2				5				15
Consume - If this attack hits a small-based non-warcaster, non-warlock model, the model hit is RFP'd. Back Attack - When declaring attacks with this weapon, this model can target model in its back arc. When making an attack with this weapon, this model's melee range is not limited to its front arc.

Tentacles

Tentacles
SPD	5
MAT	6
DEF	10
ARM	15
HP	1

Abilities

• Pathfinder
• Impervious Flesh - As above.
• Distant Deployment - As above.
• Inscrutable - As above.
• Soulless - As above.

Tentacle Strike
		RNG				POW				P+S
		2				4				10
Grip - If this weapon hits a large-based or smaller enemy model, immediately after the attack is resolved this model can be RFP'd. When it is, the model hit is pushed directly toward The Hellmouth until it contacts a model, an obstacle, or an obstruction. After the model is moved, The Hellmouth can immediately make one basic melee attack against it.

Theme Forces

• Primal Terrors
• Ravens of War

Recent Changes

Recent changes

2021. October

• No longer a free requisition option in Primal Terrors

Thoughts on Hellmouth

Hellmouth in a nutshell

The Hellmouth is an incredibly useful piece in the Legion's arsenal for warlock-independent threat range extension, area denial and scenario manipulation. Though its combat output can also be put to good use (especially against small based models thanks to Consume), its main schlick is pulling enemy models closer to your main battle-lines by sacrificing a tentacle, or continuously contesting scenario elements. Skilled opponents can evade the former by staying out of the Grip range of the Tentacles or using various anti-push techniques, while the latter can only be neutralized by bringing down the Hellmouth for good - which usually requires way more resource than its 6 points thanks to its Impervious Flesh rule.

The Hellmouth is only allowed in 2 themes but is a great deterrent againat enemies who could alpha-strike your slow, SPD5 troops in the Primal Terrors and in Ravens of War you get a re-roll on starting rolls which increases your chance for a favorable deployment.

The important takeaways of the Hellmouth:

• They are living, soulless warrior models, meaning that a whole lot of abilities work with and against them (Bightbringer aura, Murderous, etc).
• The Tentacles cannot leave the command range of the Hellmouth for any reason.

Combos & Synergies

• Blighted Ogrun Warmongers are slow, even with Vengeance from the theme force. Hellmouths can drag their prey closer.
• Blighted Rotwings - The Hellmouth's MAT isn't awful, but if you want to hit more evasive targets, some extra accuracy can't hurt. Rotwings are designed to be fast, jamming units, and the difference they provide between MAT6 and an effective MAT7 is huge.
• Vayl1 - Incite and Frost Field make them effectively MAT10. Also, due to Impervious Flesh, there's no chance to kill a tentacle with unboosted shots.
• Vayl2 - Beside Icy Grip, forward running Tentacles can be valuable arc nodes for the Oraculi. Just watch out not to leave the CMD range of the Maw.
• Saeryn1 - Now that Breath Stealer is no longer a 1/turn spell, you can threaten quite a few targets, while under her feat the Hellmouth is all but immune to small arms fire.
• Rhyas1 - Rhyas loves drags and pulls in order to set up assassinations, so the Hellmouth is great for her. On her feat the maw also gains an extra attack, even if it cannot be placed by it.
• Seraphs - While adding another substantial movement buff to your list, the flare on its gun can shore up your chances against elusive targets.
• If you want to hit hard beside dragging models out of formation, consider STR buffs too. Thagrosh1 would rather throw their STR buffs on other, more impressive models, but Bethayne, or Kryssa have damage buffs that benefit more than one model at a time.
• Proteus - With his own drag and movement shenanigans, a canny strategist can play pingpong with an opponent's key models with near impunity.
• Sources of stealth and concealment can really help keep the Hellmouth safe against strong gunlines. Just make sure you don't have another model that may benefit more.

Drawbacks & Downsides

• Poor placing of the Hellmouth can allow your opponent to evade them completely, as the Hellmouth can't move and the tentacles must stay in formation. Aggressive deployment is mandatory.
• Terrain can mess with dragging, as obstacles, obstructions and the like will counter dragging altogether.
• Despite Impervious Flesh the Hellmouth is not unkillable. Tentacles are particularly vulnerable to Snipers and models with Puncture, while models with Deadly Shot (especially super solos like Kell Bailoch) can make short work of the Hellmouth itself.
• Tendrils are RFP'd if they move out of CMD at any time for any reason, even if they have enough movement to get back into CMD range. So this can make it hard to move tendrils around obstacles and/or other models.
• Despite being all tentacles and a maw, Hellmouths have no Eyeless Sight, making them susceptible to smoke clouds and other LOS blockers of that kind.
  • Enemies can also make the Maw Stationary so it cannot issue orders or or attack.

Tips & Tricks

• Having them in your list means you virtually cannot lose on scenario because you always have a tentacle to contest with and they are so hard to kill most opponents won't bother. This is very relevant in low model count (read: Beast Heavy) armies.
• Know which models resist pushes and can form an impenetrable wall against the Tentacles. Refer Category: Anti-Push.
• Watch out for opponents with push or place effects (ie Telekinesis). They can put your tentacles out of formation and insta-kill them.
• The Hellmouth and its tentacley minions are warrior models, despite their beastly appearance. This is generally a great thing, for instance they are affected by things like the Blightbringer.
• The Hellmouth only gets one tentacle back a turn, but you can remove all three in a single activation if you go crazy. Target priority is tantamount to success with the Hellmouth, don't waste tentacles attacking low-value models this turn if you need more tentacles next turn.
• Tentacles respawn after Frenzy checks. If you have one of your own beasts running hot it can be worth running a tentacle up beside it as a sacrificial frenzy target for next turn; then respawn the tentacle where you actually want it.
• If you give the unit the Press Forward order:
  • The Hellmouth won't get its normal attack even if it started the turn with something in range.

  Reason is: it must run or charge (as required by the order) but doing that requires Normal Movement, and it has none (as per the Buried rule). Since it must run/charge but it can't run/charge, it ends up forfeiting its Combat Action and thus loses its initial melee attack.

  • The Tentacles can charge, attack something, use the Grip rule, and then the Hellmouth can attack gripped things (despite having no Combat Action this turn).
• The "danger zone" ot the Tentacles are 11,57" from the Hellmouth's base edge (8" CMD area, 2" reach + 40 mm base size).
• Unlike most the recursion mechanisms, you only have to place the added tentacle within formation which means a sizeable 8" circle (+base size) from the Hellmouth's base edge. Use it to trigger back strike bonus. Also, the Tentacle can activate normally in the turn it's been put into play.
• Unless your enemy can bring in some ARM debuff or fire damage buff (Fuel the Flames, Oil, etc.), it is impossible to damage the Hellmouth with continuous fire (the tentacles still die on 4+ though). Keep it in mind if deploying into a burning forest/cloud could be advantageous to you.

Other

Trivia

Originally released 2016.06

Other Legion models

Legion Index       (Edit)
Battlegroup & Similar
Warlocks	Absylonia1 - Absylonia2 - Anamag - Bethayne1 - Bethayne2 - Fyanna2 - Kallus1 - Kallus2 - Kryssa - Lylyth1 - Lylyth2 - Lylyth3 - Lylyth4 - Rhyas1 - Saeryn1 - Saeryn2 & Rhyas2 - Thagrosh1 - Thagrosh2 - Vayl1 - Vayl2
Other Warbeast Controllers	Beast Mistress - Blight Archon - Thagrosh0
Lesser	Blight Wasps - Shredder - Harrier - Mekanoshredder - Stinger
Light	Afflictor - Naga Nightlurker - Nephilim Bloodseer - Nephilim Bolt Thrower - Nephilim Protector - Nephilim Soldier - Raek - Teraph
Heavy	Angelius - Azrael - Carnivean - Golab - Neraph - Proteus - Ravagore - Scythean - Typhon - Seraph - Zuriel
Gargantuans	Archangel - Blightbringer
Units, Solos, & Battle Engines
Units	Blackfrost Shard - B.N. Archers - B.N. Hex Hunters - B.N. Legionnaires - B.N. Raptors - B.N. Scather Crew - B.N. Swordsmen - B. Rotwings - B.O. Warmongers - B.O. Warspears - Chosen - Grotesque Banshees - Grotesque Raiders - Hellmouth - Ice Witches - Strider Blightblades - Strider Scouts - Spawning Vessel - Virtue Host
Solos	Ammok - Annyssa Ryvaal - Beast Mistress - Blight Archon - B.N Shepherd - B.N. Sorceress - B.N. Warlord - Craelix - Forsaken - Fyanna1 - Grotesque Assassin - Incubi - Spell Martyr - Strider Deathstalker - Succubus - Thagrosh0 - Virtue Champion - B.O. Warmonger War Chief - Yssylla
Battle Engines	Throne of Everblight
Theme Forces
Children of the Dragon - Oracles of Annihilation - Primal Terrors - Ravens of War
Minions
Refer to Who Works for Whom and/or Category: Legion of Everblight Minion
This index was last updated: 2021.11

Rules Clarifications

Rules Clarification : Consume      (Edit) Consume triggers on all hits, not just direct ones. So if you trigger Consume on an AOE weapon (such as Hyperion) it will RFP every model in the AOE. (Infernal Ruling)

Rules Clarification : Back Attack      (Edit) Since your melee range extends all the way around you, you can only get free strikes when people walk away. You don't get them when they walk from your "front" arc to your "rear" arc.

Rules Clarification : Grip      (Edit) The use of the phrase "The Hellmouth" is a bit misleading on 2 counts: It should be "push towards the officer" to prevent 2 Hellmouths feeding each other. Also, the word "The" shouldn't be capitalised because that indicates it's a proper noun. (Infernal Ruling) Grip will trigger even if hitting the enemy made the Tentacle stationary, repulsed, poltergeist-ed, or whatever. As long as it wasn't killed. (Locked thread) If a Tentacle hits a model that is already in the Hellmouth's melee range, you can trigger Grip and get the free attack even if the target is immune to pushes. The "after it is moved" bit is a timing clause, not a conditional clause. (Infernal Ruling) Push - General     (Edit)   [Show/Hide] Pushed models do not change their facing. Pushed models move at half rate through difficult terrain. Also, Pathfinder doesn't apply during pushes. Pushed models stop if they contact anything - a model of any size, or any obstacles or obstructions. You don't get free strikes against pushed models, because it is "involuntary movement" and therefore does not count as an advance. Pushed models suffer the effects of anything they move through (such as acid clouds). If you use a Push vs a charging model (via a free strike for example), this will stop the charge movement (refer core rulebook). However, if the pushed model is in melee range of its charge target after the push, then it is considered a successful charge. (Infernal Ruling) In that scenario, you measure whether the charging model moved 3" or less excluding the push distance. (Infernal Ruling) If you push a model to a position where it regains Incorporeal (for instance you push it out of range of an Exorcist) then what happens is (Being Checked by Infernals)

Rules Clarification : Officer      (Edit) Even if they're not on the Officer's card, an Officer can give (and benefit from) any non-standard orders that are on the unit's card (such as Shield Wall). Refer main rulebook. A Ranking Officer can't do this, though. When the Officer dies, the Leader model becomes the new Unit Commander (you don't get to choose). But if your unit doesn't include a Leader model, then you do get to choose any of the remaining models to be the new Unit Commander. You don't swap the model, but it may be worth putting a token down so you can tell that grunt apart.

Rules Clarification : Immovable and/or Immobile and/or Buried     (Edit) There is no functional difference between "cannot move" and "cannot be moved". Even if you gain bonus movement (such as Dodge) via a spell or theme benefit, you still can't move. (Locked thread) Witchwood only: Since the Witchwood doesn't have Normal Movement, it can't gain the Aiming bonus.

Rules Clarification : Circular Vision      (Edit) This only prevents the normal bonus afforded from back strikes. It does not prevent things such as Backstab, which simply requires being in the rear arc.

Rules Clarification : Distant Deployment - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Impervious Flesh      (Edit) Impervious Flesh applies to everything, including stuff which "doesn't come from a model" like Continuous Fire.

Rules Clarification : Inscrutable - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Tendrils      (Edit) The "Remove From Play if you're outside formation" applies all the time, not just at the start/end of your movement. Example, a Tendril cannot move around a model/obstacle such that it would leave and then reenter command range; because the moment you leave command the tentacle is removed.

Rules Clarification : Soulless - None yet. (Edit)

Rules Clarification : Pathfinder      (Edit) Pathfinder (Edit) - Pathfinder does not apply to involuntary movement (pushes & slams). (Infernal Ruling)