Hey you spooky Goons! Badusernametag here. We’ve been picking the bones of the new Ossiarch Bonereapers Battletome clean to find the choices morsels and juiciest takes for you. Whilst Norman Pulls apart the Cartilage and Sinew of the main tome, I have the pleasure of re-animating my joy for both Spearheads and Path to Glory. Awesome!! As always we’d like to thank Games Workshop for providing us with a review copy of the Battletome. Nice one dubs!

Bonereapers! Liv- @Smallgoth.inst (insta)

Sometimes something inspires you in a new book, and some of the bone rattling horror in this new Battletome moved me so much that we split it out so I can wax lyrical for a bit about how terrifyingly good (and bad) it all is! Mainly I’m here for the WARFORMS (more later), but there's a Spearhead to review and then I’m gonna dive into the Path to Glory section and build some sample characters for you. Having picked out my favourite rules and abilities the narrative section has to offer. Hopefully this will get you inspired to craft your own horrific Bone emissaries to stalk the realms in the name of Nagash…

Spearhead Army - Kavalos Vanguard

Anyone who saw my review of the Sand and Bone Spearhead set last year will know that I thought really highly of the Mortisan Elite force presented there. That and the promise of a wall of boney boy cavalry had me really excited for this release. We’ve had a slew of fast glass-cannons for Spearhead and I was really hoping for some balance of speed and durability here.

Ossiarch Bonereapers Kavalos Deathriders. Credit: Laura Bates

So what's in the box? All speed, all joints, many elbows…

Liege-Kavalos (General)
5 Kavalos Deathriders
5 Kavalos Deathriders
8 Teratic Cohort (Reinforcements)

Pretty straightforward mass of fast bones here, and some of the better models in the range, although the Teratic birybones may be divisive! I have to put my personal feelings regarding the OBR range aside here, as whilst I'm a big fan of the undead in general I have never been swayed by the aesthetic of the Bone Reapers. For me, the sculpts have never really matched up to the artwork and the realisation seems quite slapstick and awkward. I think clearly here if you’re into the models, and specifically cavalry, you’re going to like this! So this one is a love or hate for sure! Nice to see an army that is a solid block of cavalry and I’m sure this is a good starting army if you want to lean into that theme and the new chariots that can accompany them!

The Kavalos Vanguard are a scouting force on the hunt for places of power. In rules terms this translates to a rapid moving force with an emphasis on feints and maneuverability. Unlike the Mortisan Elite this army makes no effort to include the main battle tactics from the Battletome and I think this is a real shame. Relentless Discipline is just cool and having had a re-vamp I’d have liked to see it here. The Spearheads that function as a mini-version of their main army often finding a good spot (except Maggotkin, sorry Maggotkin). Instead your Battle Traits are Calculated Feint (retreat with no damage) and Kavalos Lance, which grants one unit Fly in each of your turns. This is kind of cool, but not the rules one would hope for from the crushing legion of bone.

One of the regimental abilities doubles down on the ‘retreating’ theme with Feigned Retreat (retreat and charge), whilst your other option is a 5+ ward for a single unit for one combat phase. These are quite dull, to be frank, but could be great if you have good reasons to charge. For enhancements you can have a 5+ Ward with Mighty Archaessian or Crit (2 hits). My fave is actually Cold Savagery, that triggers if your general has NOT charged (which seems to go against the whole theme of the thing) and grants a friendly unit wholly within 12” +1 rend on their attacks on a 3+. This should really be when you DO charge, surely?

The units here all lose their Battletome abilities for weirdly re-written ones that just don’t add up to me. The Liege Kavalos is fine and basically what I’ve laid out as the basis for a good general, tough and quite stabby, but it’s ability Signal the Advance is just +1” charge for a friendly unit on a 3+. The fact that you have to ROLL for this is laughable and it’s just not great. It does at least get Charge (+1 damage), which is in fact your only charge bonus in an army based around charging (and retreating). Odd.

The Teratic Cohort follow this trend, moving their Bone-Deep Savagery from a free move in each hero phase to a 3” move in the movement phase. The Deathriders really are the icing on the cake here, losing the Deathrider Wedge (which was dubious anyway, see NORMANS ARTICLE) for Wheel About. This confusing combat phase ability allows you to leave combat IF you have charged, on a 3+. I’m sorry what? So I charge, roll a 3+ and then nip off 10” without fighting?? There will be some niche scenarios when you can score a card off of this and it makes for some truly long moves, but this is not what I am after on the backbone of my force!? The fact that they don’t have any ability that improves their combat potential on the charge is surely an oversight and this just adds insult to injury here. There is also potential for shenanigans here as you could theoretically shoot out of combat but still pile in and fight elsewhere. As you have charged, so are still entitled to pile in and fight. However this is tenuous to me and I think, especially on the small board, I would rather just have some kind of bonus to charging in my charging army, please??

Overall I really feel that this is a badly thought out set of rules and abilities that don’t compliment each other and don’t make for an exciting or thematic force. After the big hits of the Tzeentch and LRL books this is a flop for me. I was going to say something about how they’re at least a big chunk of tough wounds, but actually with 45 total wounds they’re only just ahead of the FAR superior Mortisan Elite (42) and behind other staples such as the IronJaws Bigmob (52) and Deathrattle Tome host (50).

Pros:

Lots of wounds on good saves.
Maneuverable.
Fast.
Retreat and Charge.
Good models if you like them!

Cons:

No bonus for charging.
Uninspiring abilities.
Quite dull.
Do you really like these models??

Model Count: 19

Gaming: 6/10

Models: 6/10

Overall: 6/10

Good for starting an army? Yes

Ossiarch Bonereapers Arch-Kavalos Zandtos. Credit: Laura Bates

Path to Glory

The rules writers at Games Workshop now have a format for and a solid methodology for the Path to Glory section in all the fourth edition Battletomes and frankly, it works. Previous we had a random splattering of rules that sometimes changed mid-edition and this adherence to form is bold and appreciated. If you care about this sort of thing (I do)!!

Flesh Hungry MasterGrinder:
Conversion/Sculpt:
Pascal
@paz_the_anchorite (insta)
Paint by: Matt Ross
@totally_not_panicking (insta)
Smashbash.org

Basically each book gets:

An Age of Apotheosis (Build your own Special Character) section.
A Path for heroes.
A Path for non-Heroes.

This is short, simple and sweet. The Age of Apotheosis sections seem (for the most part) to be fun and actually balanced. It’s a points-buy system, where you tailor your dudes with extra attacks abilities, mounts etc. But you also get some unique little abilities in there and could build characters you can’t otherwise get in the main Warscrolls. So you don’t feel like you have to ‘lose out’ by taking your own super special hero.

This Battletome stands out to me as having put some special effort into the Age of Apotheosis section (probably because they phoned in the Spearhead) and it’s definitely worth talking about. The scope and potential for modelling, character and narrative building here is superb and has really sparked my imagination. Given that Age of Sigmar is now largely a ’tournament’ game I am impressed that they’re investing in these narrative and conversion friendly elements. Now as the Bonereapers don’t have much in the way of Monster mounts, someone decided they need the option for Warforms, and they fucking rule!?

So you start by picking your base dude:

Mortek Commander (Infantry hero- RD 5)
Bonecrafter (Infantry Wizard- RD 2)
Kavalos Commander (Cavalry hero- RD 6)
Chariot Commander (Chariot hero- RD6)
Soulwright (Power 2 Wiz with nifty Strikes Last spell)

Then you slap on an origin and flaw (if you like). I’m into Hastily Repaired as a flaw. Which conjures interesting imagery as a concept, and means you must charge if within 12” of an enemy model. Which is always a thematic ability for your opponent to exploit! Precision Duellist grants +1 rend on your weapons, which is actually pretty rude if there were a suite of weapon upgrades next in the…

Warforms

So infantry characters can here take Warforms where in other Battletomes you’d get mounts. These are really interesting, creative and could offer some space for conversions and kitbashing if you’re so inclined. It’s also really nothing like your regular warscrolls, allowing you to make some unique space in your Path to Glory.

These are in three stages;

Guardian of the Empire: This is your Immortis Guard sized body (it tells you to use a 50mm-60mm base) and gives you 5 attacks at -2 rend that do 2 damage, as well as Health 8. Not too shabby.
Nightmare Ossiarch: (105x70 base recommended) This is a Harvester sized form and puts you up to damage 3, although with only 3 attacks (crit mortal). But Health 12.
Towering Warconstruct: "This Warform could easily be mistaken for a terrifying beast from the Realms edge…" At this colossal size (170mmx90mm base) you get 5 attacks doing 3 damage (Crit Mortal) AND 7 attacks do 2 damage (Anti-Faction Terrain) and 16 wounds. (You grabbed that extra rend at Origins right??)

Would love to see what some avid Bonewrights make of converting this and it’s a really original concept for a custom character. Tip of the hat to this one!

Your Warform upgrades can then buy you a better save, more rend, FLY, more attacks or a catapult on your back!??

You then pick Any Other Upgrades, which is neat if you didn’t get enough destruction from your Warform (or if you’re on a chariot, for some reason). Half of these relate to Relentless Discipline, which is nice. There's actually a lot to unpack here and anyone expecting a dull or mundane Path to Glory section from the boney legions will be pleasantly surprised I feel.

Sample Hero Builds

Thought it would be fun to lay out some sample Age of Ascension character builds here. Some based on community models I like and some just dredged from the depths of my mindhole that I’d love to see crafted!

The Bitter Duellist

10 Destiny points

150 points

An ancient tale of the great swordsman, driven to always outdo, never satisfied or sated in their thirst for battle and a challenging opponent. Perhaps the soul of a noble Stormcast Eternal, stolen by the arch Necromancer and re-forged into a an Osseous frame.

First idea is for a very basic build. Slam some OBR kits together, maybe using the neat new Liege-Mortek kit as a base? Or Immortis Guard. Or the amazing Kainan (Underworlds) model that is now out of the Battletome. Love to see some Tyranid boneswords or something to make those weapons really stand out.

A new Un-life for Kainan??
Conversion/Sculpt:
Pascal
@paz_the_anchorite (insta)

Build:

Mortek Commander: 0 DP

Origin- Precision Duelist: -1DP

Flaw- Hastily Repaired: +2DP

Warform - Guardian: -4DP

Unliving Regeneration: -4DP

Nadirite Blademaster: -3DP

Profile:

Move: 5”

Health: 8

Save: 3+/6++

Control: 2

Relentless Discipline: 5

Savage Boneswords: Atk: 5 Hit: 3+ Wnd: 3+ Rnd: -2 Dmg: 2

Anti-Hero (+1 Rend)

Own Charge Phase: Must charge if within 12”

Each Combat Phase: Pick an enemy in combat, d3 2+ mortals

End of every turn: Heal D3

Flesh Hungry MasterGrinder

30 Destiny Points

250 points

A Bonecrafter driven mad with a hunger for the flesh of the living. Crafting themselves into the form of a mighty Gothizzar Harvester so they might better Devour the flesh and souls of the living. A righteous and destructive engine of Death.

Flesh Hungry MasterGrinder:
Conversion/Sculpt:
Pascal
@paz_the_anchorite (insta)

Build:

Bonecrafter: -4 DP
Origin- Walking Death: -4DP
Warform- Nightmarish Ossiarch: -10DP
Unliving Regeneration: -4DP
Extra Limbs: -2DP
Grasping Limbs: -6DP

Profile:

Move: 6” (+3” to charge rolls)
Health: 12
Save: 4+/6++
Control: 2
Relentless Discipline: 2
Multiple Crushing Bludgeons: Atk: 4 Hit: 3+ Wnd: 2+ Rnd: -2 Dmg: 3
Crit (mortal)
#Warmachine
#Wizard (1)
Passive: +3” to Charge Rolls
Every Combat Phase: Pick each Infantry unit in combat range, on a 3+ they strike last.
End of every turn: Heal D3

Flesh Hungry MasterGrinder:
Conversion/Sculpt:
Pascal
@paz_the_anchorite (insta)
Paint by: Matt Ross
@totally_not_panicking (insta)
Smashbash.org

The Arch-Lord of Death

30 Destiny Points

250 points

And I looked and behold, a white horse, and that thing that astride it was Death, and all of the Hells of all the realms followed with him.

This is quite a straightforward example of how you can build a flying Liche Lord on a giant horse, should you so wish. Who doesn’t want that?? Not aiming to make this one especially destructive. Spells and speed.

The Lord of Death-
Matt Ross
@totally_not_panicking
Smashbash.org

Build:

Soulwright: -6 DP
Origin- Meticulously Crafted: -3DP
Warform- Nightmarish Ossiarch: -10DP
Osseous Wings: -4DP
Unliving Regeneration: -4DP
Counter Strike: -3DP

Profile:

Move: 12” (Fly)
Health: 12
Save: 4+/5++
Control: 2
Relentless Discipline: 2
Crushing Hooves and Pinions: Atk: 3 Hit: 3+ Wnd: 2+ Rnd: -2 Dmg: 3
Crit (mortal)
#Warmachine
#Wizzard (2)
#Fly
Hero Phase (Spell: 7): Pick a friendly unit wholly within 12”- Strike First
Every Charge Phase: Pick any number of friendly targets wholly within 12”- spend a RD point for each, they gain anti-charge (+1 rend) for rest of turn
End of every turn: Heal D3

The End of Empires

50 Destiny Points

350 points

Madness and horror cast from hundreds of dead warriors fused in a nightmarish giant of bone and evil power. The destructive whims of the mad god of death made into a blind god-warrior sent to bring ruin and desolation to all.

This thing @totally_not_panicking has built and painted is just so fucking savage I had to write some rules for it. How wonderful that we can build nonsense from the hellish depths of the imagination and then give it life in a game! Huzzah! The ‘catapult’ is the plasmic death vomit from its enormous maw. Obvs.

The End of Empires-
Matt Ross
@totally_not_panicking
Smashbash.org

Build:

Soulwright: -6 DP
Origin- Meticulously Crafted: -3DP
Flaw- Ostracised: +3DP
Warform- Towering War Construct: -20DP
Impossible precision: -4DP
Unliving Regeneration: -4DP
Imortal Pavise: -4DP
Morbid Catapult: -8DP
Fortified Construct: -4DP

Profile:

Move: 8”
Health: 18
Save: 3+/5++
Control: 2
Relentless Discipline: 0

Combat attacks:

Titanic Fists and Feet: Atk: 5 Hit: 3+ Wnd: 2+ Rnd: -2 Dmg: 3 Crit (mortal)
Multitudinous grasping skeletal hands: Atk: 7 Hit: 5+ Wnd: 3+ Rnd: 0 Dmg: 2 Anti-terrain (+1 rend)

Shooting Attacks:

Daerth mortar: Range: 18” Atk: 4 Hit: 4+ Wnd: 3+ Rnd: -1 Dmg: 3
#Warmachine
#Wizzard (2)
Hero Phase (Spell: 7): Pick a friendly unit wholly within 12”- Strike First
Every Hero phase: Pick a unit type. Gain Anti-X (+1 Rend) for the turn on all melee weapons.
End of every turn: Heal D3

Paths

Path to Glory comes with Paths? NEVER. There are two here and they’re quite tidy. You’ve got the Path of the Conquerer for heroes and the Path of the Legion for units. Kinda wish there were a few more, as in Ravaged Coast, which included Paths for Warmachines, Wizards, Monsters and so on. But this is the format they have stuck with and to re-iterate, I’m GLAD they’re sticking to it. So no complaints.

Here are my faves.

Path of the Conquerer

This is a little linear, as half the options (one at each rank) are Magic focused. But given that you can give your Age of Ascension heroes a mighty Warform (did I mention those?!) you may well want a Wizard that can also fight!

At the Aspiring Rank I quite fancy Ambitious Duellist, which grants +1 to hit heroes and +1 to wound them if they are further along their path than the attacker! This is both solid and speaks to the jealous, ambitious nature of the Bonereapers, good start.

The Elite level offers Dead Good (great name, gold star) which is a once per turn re-roll, BUT I am wowed by Obsessively Studious, which allows you to make a Summon spell unlimited each turn! Plenty of space for carnage there!

The Mighty rank allows you to reduce one units attacks by -1 each combat phase or gain a power level. Either are pretty strong.

The Legendary rank has a clear winner in Single Minded Ruthlessness, which grants +3 rend as long as you direct all your attacks against one unit. Ouch!?

Path of the Legion

The Aspiring rank here offers the chance to add 3” to every pile in with Necrotic Charge. Which is an insane amount of pile in.

The Elite rank allows you to get your Crit (2 hits) back on your weapons with Empowered Nadirite. Note this doesn’t specify close combat!

The Mighty rank allows you to heal (3) or return d3 models to a health (1) unit each and every turn if you become Inexhaustible and Undefeatable.

Finally the Legendary rank can grant you +1 attack or +1 to saves.

Quite the list!

Final Thoughts

You could be forgiven for reading this list of custom abilities and think that this is all about building beatstick characters. Honestly I think that's far from it. These rules are really evocative of the Ossiarch Legions and I found them quite inspiring in terms of narrative and world building. Giving players a framework with which to build their own characters and units in game grants the impetus to do so. Although many hobbyists conjure wild ideas of the cool conversions and scratch builds they might craft, the truth often is the projects that get actioned are those with rules on the tabletop. These rules give you a toolbox with which you can bring your villainous Warleaders to Un-life! I was particularly impressed by the really opened ended Warform rules, not because they’re ‘good’, but because they give you a suggested base size only, some attack profiles and tell you to go nuts! This is so far from having to have WYSIWYG armaments and very limited load outs. It is the potential for creativity and storytelling unleashed through imaginative kit bashing and background building.

I hope my little sojourn into the world of Ossiarch monster leaders will inspire you, as this book inspired me!

So what are you waiting for? Get a Warform, build your Legion, crush some mortals, and get your tithe in!

Ironic somewhat that this week we’re looking at the boneyist boys in geekdom, as next week @Lenoon and I will be back discussing what one can craft from some REAL osseous material, with guides, and health and safety to boot. Watch this space…

Flesh Hungry MasterGrinder:
Conversion/Sculpt:
Pascal
@paz_the_anchorite (insta)

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Tags: age of Sigmar | Ossiarch Bonereapers | path to glory | spearhead