The Retribution of Scyrah is most adept at striking from the shadows. Its mage hunters traditionally undertake clandestine missions executed by solo operatives and small teams of elite and dedicated warriors. On rare occasions, however, a show of force is required, and to that end the Retribution assembles stealthy armies comprised of seasoned mage hunters and powerful myrmidons. Experienced in swift and brutal combat, they skillfully orchestrate surprise attacks and take the enemy unaware.
Theme Rules
- For the core rules on how Theme Forces work, see this article.
Theme Restrictions
An army made use the Shadows of the Retribution theme force can include only the following Retribution and Mercenary 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 attachments
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Tip !
Void Archons don’t become Retribution models (boo!), but you can take two Archons and another Mercenary solo (yay!)
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Full model list
The models allowed in
Shadows of the Retribution are:
[Show/Hide]
This list was last updated: 2019.08 (Edit)
Warcasters
- All Retribution warcasters
Warjacks
- All non-character warjacks
- Moros
- Other character warjacks can be taken, but only if they have a bond and they're in their bonded model's battlegroup.
Units
Solos
Mercenaries
(★) Because she is in the list of allowed models, Eiryss doesn't use up a Merc slot. Similar for the Void Archon (even though it's not a Partisan)
Requisition Points
You can spend each Requisition Point on either:
- One Retribution CA
- Two Lys Healer solos
- Three Soulless Voidtracer solos
- One other small- or medium-based Retribution solo with a points cost of 5 or less
Theme Bonuses
- Retribution warrior models/units in this army gain "optional Take Down".
- "Optional Take Down" (aka the Theme Force version) - Models disabled by a melee attack made by a Faction warrior model in this army cannot make a Tough roll. When a model is boxed by a melee attack made by a warrior model in this army, you can choose to have the boxed model be removed from play.
- You can reroll your starting roll for the game. Your starting game roll can only be rerolled once as a result of this special rule.
Recent Changes
2021.10 Mega Update
- The free solo now has to cost 5 points or less
Thoughts on Shadows of the Retribution
Shadows of the Retribution in a Nutshell
The ninja theme - lots of stealthy skirmish infantry with good DEF and maneuverability, but poor ARM and hitpoints.
A quick note on sportsmanship. Though your warriors' attacks can RFP a model, it is not the same as having RFP on them all the time. In the spirit of fair play always inform your opponent whether or not you'll use the RFP feature. If you miss that, they can assume that the model was destroyed and not removed from play, causing a whole lot of confusion (soul collecting, eligibility for revival, etc).
This is mostly a solos and infantry unit Theme list, where just about everything has stealth. It wants to close in fast for an alpha strike, before opponents get a chance to get around the army's stealth.
Theme Weaknesses
Victim stats; reliance on Stealth
While they do have a decent DEF stat, it isn't GREAT and anything that does land a hit can kill most of the units with a sneeze.
Nearly everything in the list uses stealth and a decent to high DEF stat as their primary means of protecting themselves. Against accurate armies with a decent amount of anti-stealth tech, say Cygnar with Captain Kara Sloan, this list will crumble quickly. If you get stuck in such a match-up, close the distance quick and screen, but expect a tough fight if you are kept at range. To add to this, the Soulless Escorts you can attach to your stealthy units do not have Stealth themselves, meaning a clever opponent will use this to apply unit-wide debuff spells to them, or use them as targets for AOE guns and the like. If they are playing a list with large AOE templates, spread out as much as you can to minimize the damage, but otherwise stick to the above strategies.
Limited shooting
Only the Mage Hunter Strike Force and whichever Eiryss you bring. Both are great at shooting down warjacks and casters, but will struggle against high ARM troops, Multi-wound infantry, anything with the ability to reduce or transfer damage, and Warbeasts.
List Building tips
One of the main advantages of this theme is the ability to take two Void Archons and Eiryss without using up your slot for a Merc solo. Instead the slot will usually be Sylys or the Hermit, but other options could be useful as well.
When making a list in this theme there are 3 questions that you need to answer:
1. How infantry heavy do you want to be?
Do you want to run max FA of each unit you can or would a Min unit of one and a Max unit of the other be ok? The answer to this question ties in heavily to the next one.
2. Which caster would you like to use?
A lot of the models in this theme need help with one thing or another. Whether its dealing damage, fixing accuracy or needing a way to extend their threat ranges, you need to have a general gameplan in mind to help your units do the work they need to, and each caster has a different playstyle and wants different list compositions.
3. How many Void Archons would you like to play?
These models are extremely powerful and do a lot to help fix the weaknesses of this theme. However, they also cost 8 points and running 2 can eat up a good chunk of your points, but only running 1 can mean a lack of board coverage when needed. Additionally, if you are using them for their Dark Shroud debuff, beware that you risk your Mage Hunter Strike Force becoming very inaccurate unless you spend a soul to go incorporeal or Garryth 2's feat.
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.
- Garryth1: [+29 WJP]
- Narn, Mage Hunter of Ios: [Free] (5 pts)
- Mage Hunter Assassin: [4 pts]
- Arcanist Mechanik: [2 pts]
- Mage Hunter Infiltrators (Max unit): [13 pts]
Total RRP: USD $192 (based on PP's online store prices 2021.06)
For more Brawlmachine list ideas, see Category: Brawl List
Caster thoughts
- Issyria1
provides her battery of stat fixers, Blinding Light to lock out anti-Stealth ranged threats, and the usual upwards statistical pressure on feat turn.
- Ossyan1
Makes MHSF extra murderous with his feat turn damage die.
- Elara2
She can give them a turn to turn ARM fix with Scything Touch and she can make them hit very far and fast.
- Garryth2
Mortality + the Hermit + Void Archons equals lots of dead things. His feat also makes shooting into melee become very doable.
Other
Trivia
Released 2017.09
Other Retribution models/themes
Rules Clarifications
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Rules Clarification : Take Down (Edit)
- If you have Take Down innately, then the RFP is not optional.
- If you have Take Down granted by a theme force benefit, then the RFP is optional.
- If you choose to RFP at boxed, you don't get to trigger anything that happens at destroyed (such as Cleave).
- If you choose not to RFP them, they're destroyed normally. They produce corpses, can be returned to play, etc, and most importantly you can trigger stuff at "destroyed" (such as Cleave).
- Technically the theme benefit doesn't actually grant models Take Down, it just gives them a rule with almost the exact same wording as Take Down.
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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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