A guide to the Twilight Kin in Armada

With the Twilight Kin pre-orders going live on Wednesday, Chris Cowburn from the Armada rules committee is here to explain how this brand-new fleet plays. Over to you Chris...

The nefarious Twilight Kin are coming to Armada as the first of the new fleets to be released over the coming year. But what can you expect from the worshipers of the Wicked Ones?

First of all, they do not have a lot of long range firepower, preferring instead to see the death and destruction they wreak up close and personal. And while they don’t hit quite as hard as an orc in boarding actions, they have quite a few tricks up their sleeves when it comes to gaining the upper hand (would you expect anything less from those naughty elves?)

THE ASSASSIN

First off, let’s talk about the workhorse of the Twilight Kin ship – The Assassin. These don’t have an impressive array of guns on each broadside. Instead, they boast a very devastating armament on the bow, perfect for unleashing just before launching a Boarding Action. When they do fight in a Boarding Action, they can unleash their special Decimate ability to try and reduce the CS of the enemy ship, as the assassins target the imposing figures lining up against them. If the ship has also been upgraded with members of the Blade Dancers within its crew, it can also reroll some of the attacks that miss, as the frenzied warrior women unleash their vengeance upon whatever sorry foe is in front of them. Like the dwarfs, the Twilight Kin’s named vessel is a Medium ship. The Heart Seeker is a sturdier Assassin, sacrificing a little firepower for increased SP and Nv.

Speaking of sturdy, the Twilight Kin ships aren’t as sturdy as those of most other fleets, and so need to be looked after to avoid an early watery grave. This also means that they can’t go around ramming into anything and everything like orcs do. So, how do the Twilight Kin captains board ships that simply try to run by sailing at Full Speed? Well, they have a unique upgrade, the Barbed Harpoon, that can be used to attempt to grapple ships that are trying to avoid their clutches. This is a one use only ability however, so care must be taken to use at the appropriate time.

THE BUTCHER

The Twilight Kin have only taken to the sea fairly recently within the history of Pannithor. As such, they have not created any Extra Large ships, like those of other races. However, they do have two different Large ships available to choose from. The Butcher is a less agile vessel that can unleash a nasty Broadside with 4 C weapons! It also has the CS to finish the job elf to man (or orc, dwarf, salamander etc.). By far the Sturdiest ship in the Twilight Kin Armada, they will be a popular choice among any budding naughty elf captains. The second of these Large ships is the Soulbane. This ship aims to sail close to the rest of your fleet, and provide its Ensnare bonus to friendly ships when they attempt to grapple the enemy. It does have a decent Broadside as well, and can be used to snipe ships that are trying to maintain any safe distance between themselves and their would-be doom bringers.

THE IMPALER

Onto the Support ships, and first up is the Impaler. This ship is designed for Ramming (although it shouldn’t attempt it too many times), but is perfect for forcing an enemy ship to anchor if the Grapple Test after the attempted ram is successful. Next is the Banshee. A small ship, so not one with a huge amount of SPs, it is one that if you can use at the correct moment, the synergies will vastly swing combats in your favour. This is because the Banshee is crewed by some of the Twilight Kins allies – Nightstalker Banshees. And their Banshee’s Wail will subdue any enemy ship that it is grappled, allowing your Assassins and Butchers an even easier fight.

Being short on long range firepower, how do the Twilight Kin captains manage to sail so close to the enemy without taking punishing salvos as they close? Well, the sorcerers summon a dark shroud for the Twilight Kin to sail under. What an enemy captain might first take to be a mere storm, they will realise to be a full-on attack when it is too late. The shroud makes any long range shots all but impossible to hit their intended target.

The Twilight Kin are a fleet unlike any other seen in Armada so far, and will provide exciting challenges to any who sell their soul to the Wicked Ones.

Don't forget, the Twilight Kin fleet will be available for pre-order tomorrow!