A common situation new players find themselves in (as well as some returning players who have been out of the game for a while) involves what to do with older warbands they’ve gotten second hand. Maybe you found an old box laying around, or you got something on a great deal from eBay or a garage sale etc. It’s not any of the newest season’s stuff, so that can leave people scratching their heads, asking the questions of “hey, I just picked up this old warband, are the cards legal, and is there anything I need in order to be able to play? Also, what new products should I try to match them up with in order to be more competitive?” These are very common questions that I hope to be able to help with here. So let’s dive into the next in a series of articles: “Can I Use This Old Warband? A Beginner’s Guide to the Wyrdhollow Season”

You can find my other seasonal overviews here:
Shadespire (Season 1)
Nightvault (Season 2)
Beastgrave (Season 3)
Direchasm (Season 4)
Harrowdeep (Season 5)
Nethermaze (Season 6)
Gnarlwood (Season 7)
Deathgorge (Season 9) and Wintermaw (Season 10)

Overview:
Everything from Wyrdhollow (Season 8) is able to be played in the current game of Warhammer Underworlds. The only cards you’ll be able to use are the newer cards from Embergard, which have been released in the new edition of the game. All of the cards and boards from this season have been left behind as editions changed, so all you’ll need to hold on to are the minis themselves.

Some of the Wyrdhollow warbands (Domitan’s Stormcoven and Skabbik’s Plaguepack) are in the “other warbands”/”legends” category in that they aren’t valid for competitive play and have to use generic warscrolls, but they’re still totally fine for learning the game and getting some casual games in. The other half (Ephilim’s Pandaemonium and The Headsmen’s Curse) are newly re-released in the Grand Alliance boxes and are valid for competitive play.

Domitan’s Stormcoven

Domitan’s Stormcoven is a three fighter warband with excellent stats. It’s worth noting that a lot of the ‘legends’/Grand Alliance warbands are now somewhat genericized. As a result, you have some more flexibility in how you want to play them, but I can’t give a specific recommendation on what rivals decks work best. These guys look like you’d want to play them more strike in my estimation, and Reckless Fury would be their top choice.

Ephilim’s Pandaemonium

Ephilim’s Pandaemonium is a five fighter warband with some of the best looking models in a game with tons of great miniatures. They have The leader who is out to catalogue all the daemons in the land, and four minions which are demons in their leader’s thrall. The warband’s mechanic (and inspiration) are tied to their warscroll’ “Glorious Change’ mechanic. At the start of the round, you inspire a minion, then stagger a minion. If two minions are inspired, the leader also inspires, so a key to success is protecting your inspired minion so you can inspire second the following round.

The warband is in the Mastery archetype, because they have a few finnicky things to manage, but I wouldn’t call them overly complicated after having played a few games with them. You can resurrect a minion at the end of the round if the leader is still alive, so you want to keep Ephilim safe, but you can also draw a power card if a minion is slain within two of the leader – so don’t keep them TOO safe. You can splash some delayed ping damage after a successful ranged attack with the Fires of Change ability once per game, so finding ways to cluster your enemies together will pay (delayed) benefits. You also can drop some immediate pings with “Shared Mutations” once a game as well, so one way to leverage your warscroll is to try and make your enemy bunch up in one spot, and this warband likes cards that can move enemy ifghters even more than most.

Rivals deck pairings to consider with them include Countdown to Cataclysm in particular – the card ‘do or die’ immediately inspires a fighter, so if you draw this in your opening hand you can force an inspire onto your leader quickly. It synergizes with pings in the warscroll and supports a flex-hold style that they do well with. You could also take Wrack & Ruin for a similar effect. They can also do just fine with Pillage & Plunder or Emberstone Sentinels as well. Bobby took them to the World Championships with Countdown and Sentinels – while I unfortunately never got him on stream he did do a pre-interview with Davy to discuss his thoughts on the warband.

The Headsmen’s Curse

The Headsmen’s Curse is a four fighter Strike warband with a really cool bit of lore – the ghosts themselves are enthralled to the sword Terminus, who, while carried by your leader The Wielder of the Blade, is the actual leader of the warband. The warband’s inspiration and special mechanic is related to Condemned fighters. If the Scriptor of the Sentence is on the board at the start of a round, he Condemns an enemy within 5 hexes, and now that model is priority one. If any of your models damages that fighter, they inspire, and if you slay it, you also draw a number cards equal to its bounty characteristic. Just how do you finish off that model, you ask? Why with the astounding damage the Wielder can put out, or the workhorse that is the Bearer of the Block!

Their warscroll has some fun tool to try out. You can chase down whatever you’d like (or escape to safety) with the discorporate ability which is an unlimited teleport for the cost of an action once per game. The Sharpener can hand grievous over to your leader once a game – which means inspired he’s dropping FIVE damage. Insane. You also get a once per game accuracy boost with Cackling Court. When the wielder slays someone, and he will, you also can bring one of your other ghosts back from the ‘dead’ so to speak. The key to success will be protecting the wielder until it’s time to take some heads, then making sure you hit (with flanking fighters if possible) so positioning is key. You can’t just make gutsy charges all game long, but a smart player who can pick their shots will fill their basket of bonces in no time, and every warband has good reason to fear the executioner.

Rivals deck pairings to consider with this warband include Reckless Fury to get some extra action economy out of the Wielder, or Blazing Assault for more strike support. You could also consider Emberstone Sentinels or Pillage and Plunder to encourage your opponent to come to you, making the beheadings all the easier. At worlds this year Ben took them with Blazing Assault and Emberstone Sentinels, which you can watch here, and if you’d rather see them with more Strike flourish, check out this video of Jan Willy in the Worlds Quarterfinals with BA/RF.

Skabbik’s Plaguepack

Skabbik’s Plaguepack is a six fighter warband with the cutest lil guy named Skritter. It’s worth noting that a lot of the ‘legends’/Grand Alliance warbands are now somewhat genericized. As a result, you have some more flexibility in how you want to play them, but I can’t give a specific recommendation on what rivals decks work best. These guys look like you’d want to play them more Take and Hold strategies, or perhaps flexy with Pillage and Plunder.

Wrap

Ultimately any and all Season 8 warbands are playable in the Rivals or Nemesis formats if you pick up a universal rivals deck. You absolutely can play with those old toys you’ve just acquired, and in some cases still do pretty well with them. You’re likely safe to toss the ‘extra’ cards that come with them. Until next time, I hope you enjoy spending that glory!