Motodachi and 
Korrok 
Today on ++Chronicles Eternal++, we’ve got the long-awaited Algeroth Faction Focus article, with a little bit of extra spice to make up for the wait – list building advice from the first Eternal Champion himself, Mr. Zach “Korrok” Grogan! Back over to you, Motodachi…
The last faction available in Warzone Eternal is the first of the Dark Legion forces – Algeroth. This force is the most diverse in terms of unit numbers, but completely lacks Specialist Designation units.
Do you like list flexibility? Do you like horde or elite lists? Do you like monsters? Do you like multi-Wound models? Do you like gambling? Do you like presenting huge problems to your opponent? If the answer to all of these is yes, then this is the faction for you.
Why do I say gambling? It’s because Algeroth is somewhat inaccurate in their MW overall (aside from the Pretorian Stalker!), but their guns hit like a truck.
Undead Legionnaires
Their cheapest models in the Algeroth force list are the Undead Legionnaires. They cost a measly 2DP, and you must activate three (or as close as you can get) at a time, due to their Group(3) rule. The stats they have are pathetic, and if you don’t have a model with the Controller Ability nearby, they can only Move, Charge, Shoot and can’t Reposition. They can never take a Reaction, ever, but they can’t be Pinned due to Relentless. They wield a Kratach Assault Rifle, which is the most basic weapon in the Algeroth roster. On a Charge, they can deal a respectable 13DAM, but in terms of AR and Defensive capabilities, they are made of paper. But, for 6DP, you get six Wounds and enough shots to go fishing for Criticals. Be careful, though – if you don’t have enough Controllers, they also can’t take a Reload Action! Talk about micromanagement culture, am I right?
They don’t need a specific counter-strategy, but anyone facing them on the other side of the table will likely prefer using Projected or Explosive weapons to deal with multiple Legionnaires at the same time. Unless your enemy is playing the meme game and bringing something crazy like 9+ Undead Legionnaires. In those cases, area of effect weapons are nearly mandatory. Otherwise, your enemy will overwhelm you. If your opponent tries and bring a horde of them, go for their Controller to remove their ability to Reposition and Reload.
List Building Logic With Korrok
The Undead Legionnaires serve a unique role within WZE list building not just for algeroth but when looking at schools of thought for list building. Fortunately nothing explains that better than the two ways that these cheap buggers are best utilized. Swarm or filler? When building an algeroth force moderation is not advised, zombies work best as either a spam of action points, even if low quality, or as an individual model used to finish off a force and get you that one extra activation to justify the dp bulk you just invested in. Due to this the undead legionaries are the cornerstone of taking advantage of the unique strengths of algeroths current force list.
Necromutant
The cheapest Leader and most reliable option in the roster overall is the Necromutant. Interestingly, their Leader, Support and Trooper versions all share the same average-ish stat line. 12 MW, CC and PW, 22 AR and 6 ST paired with their Sactioner Bayonet make them scary on a charge, where they will deal 16DAM if they hit. Their Blezarach Rifle is quite reliable also, dealing a respectable 14DAM. Theie defensive capabilities are boosted by Fearless, and they provide a solid 6″ Controller radius on even their base Trooper Designation to keep all those Undead Legionnaires in line.
Interestingly, their Leader option can only Command Undead Legionnaires, and not Necromutants. They also only provide a single SP, which allows you to buy their Support.
Necromutant Supports are armed with Gas Grenades and Tormentor Flamethrowers as well as the standard issue Sectioner Bayonet. Tormentors are Gehenna Pukers on steroids, and Gas Grenades are Smoke Grenades capable of committing war crimes while providing cover for your own troops. They are not immune to the Gas Grenades’ DAM 9 Continuous Effect, though, so be careful.
For opponents, Necromutants are fairly average troops that aren’t complicated to take down, but be careful of their Reactions. Otherwise, don’t let Tormentors or Troopers within 10″ or 12″ of your own models, respectively. At that range, they can pack a real punch.
List Building Logic With Korrok
Necromutants are your reliable bread and butter and will do the bulk of your killing and Victory Point grabbing. There’s only so much that two Actions on a single big guy can achieve after all. Necromutants are typically going to be utilized to fill out a force’s Activations but there’s a few tricks to note. The Leader costs the same DP as their Trooper, and regardless of if you’re running an elite or spam list, you could do worse than to include a Leader for almost any zombie you bring. Notably, while they can only order Undead Legionnaires around, they can Inspire anyone on their team, all the way up to a Nepharite. Talk about trading up value! As things currently stand, a Tormentor should be in most of your lists until other cheap support options become available. Use those SP!
Centurions
Moving to the upper echelon of the Dark Legion Management System, we have the Centurions.
They are the COOs of Algeroth, coming with only Leader options at 6DP, and providing a whopping 4SP to use in your lists. Three Wounds and a 9″ Controller range are their best characteristics, as well as DAM 14 on both Melee (16 on a Charge!) and Ranged combat, plus Smoke grenades. awesome! MV 5 means they can lead your force and Charge more easily than the average peon. Be careful, though, they have AR 22 and unlike most of the other options in the Algeroth range, they have no way to deal with Pinned Counters outside Rally Actions.
Again, straightforward counter-plays are are the best way for opponents to deal with Centurions. Try to snipe them from 24″ or force them to engage at their bad range (6″-18″).
List Building Logic With Korrok
As much as I’d love to impart some sage knowledge, these guys are pretty obviously the base line of leadership for Algeroth. Unless you’re running the Nepharite, you’re running at least one of these guys. Use those SP!
Pretorian Stalker
The Pretorian Stalker has only a single Support Designation, but don’t let that fool you – they are extremely versatile! They are one of only two models we’ve thus far encountered in WZE that are on a 40mm base, and they cost 10DP(!) and 2SP. This makes bringing a pair of them difficult, but not impossible.
Their stat line is excellent: MV5, CC & MW 14, high AR and good DEF paired with Camouflage and Precise Senses will pose an immediate threat to your opponent. Pack Hunter means that if you do take a pair in your list, they will provide 4 Reaction Counters.
What really defines the Pretorian Stalkers, though, is their weapon choice. They come with an LMG, a Grenade Launcher and an Incinerator. These models are accurate with their weapons, and their weapons are more accurate. Specifically, their LMG can deal DAM12, Grenade Luncher DAM11 – but it’s Continuous and Indirect, and has a 2″ AOE! – and their Incinerators which are DAM 13, Projected, and have Continuous as well. You have a lot options for all range bands, and if your enemy makes it to close range, a DAM12 melee slap is waiting for them. Or, if you happen to get the Charge, the Sectioner Bayonet takes it up to DAM17.
Dealing with one Stalker – let alone two! – is a challenge. The good thing is that if you are up against one, this takes a big chunk of your opponent’s DPs. Try engaging them in melee, but you need at least two models to deal real damage to them. Also, try to make sure they can’t Ambush you in response via Pinned Counters. If you don’t have melee specialists, then use Aimed shots and hope for the best.
List Building Logic With Korrok
Now we’re on to the fun stuff. The Pretorian Stalkers are your first real investment piece in Algeroth. At 10DP and 2SP, you could bring a pair with a single Centurion. Personally, I’ve found one to be a sweet spot for maintaining Activation count while using the Stalker’s particular unique qualities to help even the odds, numbers wise. With one of these guys on board, you can still manage multiple Centurions and not feel strangled for models. Two, and you’ve dedicated your list to a theme.
Razides
Next is an even bigger (literally and figuratively!) problem for your enemy. Weighing in at a hefty 12 DP and taking between 2 and 3 SP is the mighty Razide.
The Razide’s 50mm base means you can’t hide them in Heavy Obstruction easily to counter their +2 DEF, but they do have 4 Wounds and 25AR. Luckily their MW is “only” 12. Razides also only come with Support options, choosing between two Nazgaroth and Ashnagaroth HMGs or the Hellblaster. The come with Driven, so the Suppressive Ability is useless against them, and should you be able to put Pinning Counters on them, they will be removed at the beginning of the round via Shake It Off. Oh, they also have Firing Stance, meaning they ignore the Recoil on those HMGs.
Now the Nazgaroth HMG comes with a DAM 15 to 24″ and DAM 15 / -1 MW beyond that, with a Burst value of 3. The Ashnagaroth is a more “manageable” DAM 13 to 24″ and DAM 13/-3 beyond that, but it packs an even higher Burst (4). Both guns have CF 19, so it’s likely they will eventually jam – and if you’re up against them, pray to the Cardinal, Kyria, Regia, Sages or whatever you believe in, that they jam often. The Hellblaster is a 12″ DAM13 with Explosive(2), Vicious, and the rotten cherry on top your cake of despair – Suppresive. (Un)Luckily, they lack melee weapons so they will “only” punch you for DAM 10 with a CC score of 14. They also have LD 14, so in case you need them to, they can touch Objectives too.
For opponents, their base of 50mm might give them a hard time traversing the terrain, and take advantage of that. If they make it to a corridor or choke point, try to flank it in melee and hope for the best. Since they are so big, Light Obstruction is their best hope, which is cancelled out by their DEF +2. Try and fish Criticals on them by shooting them with HMGs, or use high DAM weapons such as Sniper Rifles to inflict Wounds on them and follow up with any form of Vicious weaponry. Otherwise, break LOS and kite them around, since they “only “have MV 4 and no one sans the Nepharite can Command them to give them Actions. You might need to sacrifice someone to keep them occupied. Remember – sacrifice means you make something(or someone) sacred.
List Building Logic With Korrok
The Razide is a big point dump, and one that has to do a lot to cover its cost on the field. Fortunately, it throws a lot of dice, which helps make up for its lack of Activations. When perched with good sight lines, this model could shut down another force entirely. Don’t forget, you can split those shots up among multiple models, so long as they’re within 4″ of each other. You’re not bound to see much list variety once you buy this guy. He’s kinda the point.
Nepharite of Algeroth
The last unit in the roster is the CEO of Algeroth, the biggest of the big boys, the dude with quadriceps even Hulk Hogan would envy – the Nepharite of Algeroth.
Coming in hot at an eye-watering 13DP and Leader (4: Undead Legionnaires or Necromutants), you will be paying at least 21 DP to bring a Nepharite to the table. In return, they provide 2SP to use on guns, flame throwers and other goodies. Nerves of Steel means that their MV5 will not be halted by puny Pinned Counters, Shake It Off will keep removing those Pinned Counters for free. He brings Controller (12) so those Legionnaires can take Aimed shots easily and Reload their guns when the inevitable happens. Awareness means he can Dive for Cover to boost his AR to 26 twice a turn. His 50mm base size means that getting him into Heavy Obstruction can be quite difficult, and he will rarely get to take advantage of Cover terrain features. Not that he needs to, with 4 Wounds. He also boasts LD18, PW15, CC16 and MW13. He is armed with the mighty Azogar, a Multi-strike(3), Reach (2), Vicious, DAM17 melee weapon. Luckily it comes with a -2 penalty on his CC. His ranged option is a spell in the form of a weapon, The Devouring Darkness, with a range of 18″ DAM 4 at -4 TN. Looks laughable at first, until you realize what its Special Abilities do. Symmetry means the Nepharite will use his PW characteristic for Shoot actions, and his PW is higher than his MW. Also, Terrifying means the enemy makes a save not using their AR, but their LD, and LD is always lower than AR…
Motodachi’s Handy Guide on How to Deal With the Nepharite:
Step 1: Denial – Oh nonononono this can’t be happening!
Step 2: Anger – Come on, dude it’s a friendly game why do you need to try hard so much?
Step 3: Bargaining – Maybe my opponent will show mercy if I can gift them some snacks?
Step 4: Depression – I’ll never be able to win this match.
Step 5: Acceptance – It’s ok, life moves on. For me, that is. Not for any of my models…
All jokes aside, the Nepharite is a significant problem, but luckily they take more than half of the DP allowance of a 40DP game. This model does not have any weapons with range bands beyond 18″, so they won’t be able to capitalize on their beefy stats and abilities during the first rounds of the game. Be prepared, though, for when (not if) he makes it to 18″, because at that range he can and should Aim his Devouring Darkness shots. Luckily for anyone facing the Dark Legion, they have zero access to Medics or Wound removal…at least for now. This means that if you have a Vicious weapon, you should throw it on them as soon as you force them to take a Wound. Continuous weapons can also be used to inflict wounds early on. Once he is within 7″, he can Charge, and then you are in a world of pain. Make sure to keep your troops 2.1″ of each other so the Nepharite can’t use his Multi-Strike, and remember to disengage wounded models to rob him of his ability to use Vicious – but make sure he’s got a Pinned Counter on him first so he can’t declare a Parting Blow.
List Building Logic With Korrok
The Nepharite is a turning point model. What I mean by this is that once chosen, with the currently available force list, your building options drop significantly if you intend to maintain a 7+ Activation count. Expect to run Necromutants and zombies almost exclusively here unless you’re feeling particularly lucky. If you lose anything big in a list like that, you’re in for pain.
Assets
The Dark Legion Factions (luckily) can’t use the General Assets list. Instead, they pick from their very own Necrotech Assets.
Carcass Suit: A free DAM7 hit if your model ends a Charge engaged with an enemy model. Not exactly a show-stopper but, forcing AR tests is never a bad thing.
Self Repair: Once per game, when one of your models receives a Wound, roll a TN(10) flat check. On a success, remove that Wound. Extra salty if used on a Nepharite or Razide.
Subdermal Implants: Choose a unit with AR 22 or less. They get +1 AR. So, basically, your Legionnaires, Necromuntants or Centurions. A three-Wound Centurion with some extra armor is never something to sneeze at…
Much like the human Factions, Algeroth has a set of Faction-specific assets, which are quite interesting.
Invoke Frenzy: Pick a model with Controller – that model can use an Action to give Fierce Charge to a unit within 12″ and LOS. Very interesting to use on a Necromutant, for instance, or a Pretorian Stalker.
Distort: Pick a Unit. For one turn, enemies within 2″ of that unit take a -2 penalty on CC, ST and LD. Very good, even better on a 40 or 50mm base unit.
Alpha Legionnaire: Designate an Undead Legionnaire, that Legionnaire becomes 5% better at Shoot and Strike actions, and most importantly, gains the Controller(3) Ability. Excellent backup if you have a Controller-light list.
Overall Algeroth is an interesting and strong roster that is capable of having very unique lists, from endless hordes of Undead Legionnaires to elite squadrons of Pretorian Stalkers, Razides or Nepharite commanding Necromutants. Their units can be quite pricey – especially the “bigger guns” – but they are worth every penny!
Cover image by John Allison from the Warzone Eternal rulebook
