Topic: War altar - a common choice?

[apical]

I'm re-building my Empire army to fit better with 8th ed and trying to make sure I have they key units.

I'm thinking of getting a war altar as the rules read pretty well. How do people play them?

I assume with an arch lector (who will be the general) and then keep it in the centre as close as possible to the main infantry blocks.

Are they worth it?

[rothgar13]

It's not super common (especially after the FAQ ruling that its Hatred bubble doesn't extend to mounts...  'twas a sad day ), but you'll see it fairly often. I like to have it sit by infantry blocks, but in case of emergency I will have it charge out and swing.

[Andse]

In my gaming group, I see it pretty often.
I find myself, taking it roughly every other game.

Even after the FAQ, it's still a solid choice.
It can pretty much hold it's own flank, depending on the enemies flank or be in the center, to buff your other units.
Demis are still lethal, with Hurricanum and reroll to wound prayer.

Also if you're playing a counter punch army, it's fun to set your warchamines on fire and laugh at regen troops.

[apical]

why were mounts taken out of the bubble in the FAQ? Hatred affects them if they're joined by a mounted warrior priest

I'm basically wanting one of the buff wagons, and the altar seems like the most effective choice. (4+ WS is nice)! But I like the hurricanum too.

So I might get one of those, and some demigryphs. Add those to my greatswords and halberdiers and I'll be pretty much there!

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

The first Empire Update Version had already removed Righteous Fury from mounts:

Q: Do a Warrior Priest’s Righteous Fury and Battle Prayers affect his unit’s mounts? (p36)
A: No.

The last FAQ brought Holy Fervour in line with that.

[apical]

ah, I think I'm getting confused - mounted models still get the benefits, just not their mounts?

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

That is correct.

[SevenSins]

On a related but different tack, what's your favourite equipment on the altar lector?

[thundercake]

I ran him with HA, charmed shield (to save a cannon ball), and the opal amulet. I run him behind my troops so he is usually safe or hitting a flank. I usually take on at 2400 points, put it between and slightly behind a horde of halberdiers and as many greatswords as I can take. I then put a detachment of archers in front of the altar (detachment belongs to one of the hordes).

The banishment spell is pretty sweet too, because you only need a 4 to cast it. Though, I don't think you can extend its range.

A question about the bound spell, it is not a one use thing is it?

[Fidelis von Sigmaringen]

As all bound spells, one use per magic phase.

Regarding equipment: as the AL on WA has mainly a supporting role, I would fit him for survival.

[SorenJ]

I'm basically wanting one of the buff wagons, and the altar seems like the most effective choice. (4+ WS is nice)! But I like the hurricanum too.

The ward save only applies to the chariot, not to the Arch Lector. The chariot is treated as a mounted monster and there are a lot of sad rule FAQs out there that makes mounts/chariots less interesting.

On a personal note. The one and only War Altar (along with the only seven supposed to be Steam Tanks) is my main grudge against the new Empire. They are quite necessary to have if you want to win, but fluff wise they are ultra rare. And so it hurts my eyes when I see those things in every little skirmish battle being fought in every corner of the Empire.

That being said the Arch Lector is a nice combination of a general (ld 9) and warrior priest for only 100pts. Mounted on a War Altar he can affect multiple units and won't get killed in first round of combat as regular warrior priest usually does.

[Andse]

I'm basically wanting one of the buff wagons, and the altar seems like the most effective choice. (4+ WS is nice)! But I like the hurricanum too.

The ward save only applies to the chariot, not to the Arch Lector. The chariot is treated as a mounted monster and there are a lot of sad rule FAQs out there that makes mounts/chariots less interesting.

On a personal note. The one and only War Altar (along with the only seven supposed to be Steam Tanks) is my main grudge against the new Empire. They are quite necessary to have if you want to win, but fluff wise they are ultra rare. And so it hurts my eyes when I see those things in every little skirmish battle being fought in every corner of the Empire.

That being said the Arch Lector is a nice combination of a general (ld 9) and warrior priest for only 100pts. Mounted on a War Altar he can affect multiple units and won't get killed in first round of combat as regular warrior priest usually does.

I don't believe, that a War Altar is mandatory anymore.
Specially not with the new FAQ, which took hatred from our Demis.
He is still good, but not a neccecity to win, IMO.

As for equipment, I usually field him like this on the War Altar:
- Heavy Armor
- Great Weapon
- Talisman of Preservation
- Van Horstmann's Speculum
- Luckstone