Well it’s finally here, the finale of the Broken Realms Saga is here with Broken Realms: Kragnos. We’ll break each faction up into their own article so if you’re looking for a specific faction don’t worry, yours will be coming very quickly! Does this book go out with a bang? Well it has a whopping 8 factions represented, with everything from updated warscrolls, new warscrolls, battalions, battle traits and subfactions! We’ll start off with the Beasts of Chaos who get a slew of new Battle traits that are used in addition to the ones in Battletome: Beasts of Chaos and 2 warscroll updates, for the Beastlord and Jabberslythe.

New Battle Traits

So these are a new set of additional rules for Gor, Warherd and Thunderscorn unts in the army. These aren’t going to make or change the army in any way shape or form, but here we go;

Gor Battle Fury – A new bonus for Gor units, not Gor keyworded units, just Gor. Don’t know why this stipulation is here, don’t see why it needed to be here. I for one am not worried about rampaging herds of Bestigor running everyone’s day and I don’t think anyone else is either. A slight boon, letting you reroll charges when you setup from ambush is great, but it might as well have been on the Warscroll and a Warscroll rewrite rather than a battle trait if it was only going to apply to one specific unit.

Warherd Charge – A chance for Mortal Wounds when you charge, and I do mean a chance. It can do D3 mortal wounds on a 4+ (or 2+ for Heroes or units of more than 3 models). A more rubbish version of the Black Knights, largely because it requires more models to get the same effect. Roll a dice, for a chance to roll a dice to do a couple of Mortal Wounds. Buy all your Bullgor now guys, because they won’t be available on the website after this rule addition. This also works on the Doombull (where it works on a 2+ instead of a 4+) and the Ghorgon to add a little hitting power to two of the most damaging units in the army book. The Doombull especially was already good at 100, bonus mortal wounds is nothing to sniff at.

Raging Storm – Ok, this is a really cool thematic rule, a surge of lightning goes across the sky, striking their enemies with the rage of the Gods or healing damage the units have taken. Similar theme to before however in practice it’s meh at best. End of the Combat phase you get to roll a dice to heal a wound (4+ for units, 2+ for Heroes and 4 or more models again), or if your in combat with enemy units, roll a dice to damage that enemy unit to the grand total of 1 Mortal Wound. It’s a neat little bonus (with a cool background reason), but it’s hardly ground breaking is it? Working on the Shaggoth does make it interesting, it’s should be able to make it live just that little longer so it doesn’t get wore down by chip damage and being able to hit multiple units with it’s damaging effect might make it the best of the lot.

A brief developers note also states that this ability replaces the Thunderscorn Battalion‘s ability, and amplifies this ability, allowing this unit to reroll the dice to do damage and wounds. Not a bad little perk but it doesn’t help that the damage and healing is just so, so tiny.

Warscroll Changes

Two Warscrolls have been changed. The Beastlord and the Jabberslythe. Lets see what these have in store for the Beasts now shall we?

Beastlord – Can now run and charge, this is a really nice little upgrade. He’s not going to break face but it does allow for what comes next to happen more often. He’s lost his Command Ability, but don’t worry, he’s still got it, just doesn’t need to spend a CP for it any more, it’s now innate on his Warscroll. So if you can get him into combat (see previous run and charge), go with him first, kill something, then not die in return before you get to active those rather incredibly dangerous – now rerolling charge after setting up after ambush – Gor to maybe do a handful of damage. If you get lucky and finish off a Monster or Hero then you can add 1 to the hit rolls as well, not sure why that rules there, can’t see it ever coming up.

Jabberslythe – A small boost, it now has a 4+ save so will die ever so slightly slower than before. The only real change is the Aura of Madness ability. It’s now got a total rewrite, a negative bubble to annoy enemy Wizards. Can boost an enemy’s attacks by 1 (based on a 3D6 roll vs enemy bravery) but cause them to damage themselves if they roll a 1. Another random change is that it’s 1A D3 ranged weapon has got to 3A D1. Minor boost I guess?

New Battalion – The Butcher-Herd

Containing a Great-Bray Shaman (who becomes a Unique Named Character), 2 units of Bullgor and a Ghorgon. The Shamans staff gains +2A which is a nice little bonus, especially as you want that 5W and 6+ save wizard in combat as much as possible. Wait … no, you want the rest of the battalion in combat because while wholly within 12” of the shaman they get a really nice +1 to hit in combat. This statline actually makes the Bullgore hit semi-reliably, something they actually need to become a viable option. However it’s just a shame it’s tied to that aforementioned Wizard who’s clearly a pincushion. At 950pts for the Shaman, 2×6 Bulls and a Ghorgon in the Battalion it’s going to be difficult to fit it into lists. But it is something I’ll actually try going forward. Think it might be worth having.

Up Next – Skaventide

Overall, it’s not all bad for Beasts of Chaos. You’ve got a handful of new rules which while not great are nice, a rework on two underused scrolls and they’ve not great but are both small boosts. Finally a Battalion you might actually want to use, at least something I want to try out. Not bad, not bad. Just be aware it’s a boost to an underpowered army, not a magical saviour.

Next Up, we’ll look at the Skaventide, who also get some tasty new Battle Traits, a new subfaction, and a battalion! Stay tuned!