Welcome, respected Peer of the Enlightened! You may have come here from our main Global Update blog, or you may have found your own way here - regardless, you are likely here because you want to find out what to expect from the latest changes to your favourite faction of Constructs and Walkers. It is an era of close-quarters combat - an era the forces of the Enlightened are well-placed to take charge of.
In the name of science!
The old Tips and Tactics blog is still a valuable resource, with the broad strokes of what it outlines absolutely remaining core to how the Enlightened plays. Indeed, it is a happy day for longtime Peers of the Enlightened, because with this update quite a lot of your dedicated melee threats have become a good deal cheaper. There have also been slight tweaks to a few profiles across the ORBAT, which we’ll get into in a moment. It’s safe to say, though, that the Enlightened are having a good time.
There’s no better time for new Enlightened generals to jump on board with the Enlightened Faction Battlegroup, serving as a perfect entry point.
Endless Hordes
The most notable change is quite simply that a lot of the faction’s premier melee threats have got cheaper! The Brute Warden Cohort, Heavy Construct Devastator Cohort, Hellion Cohort, Strider CAV Cohort, Callisto Assault Gatherers and Phobos Assault Tripods have all seen points reductions, and even more so as you get to higher Reinforcement levels! This should allow you to flood the field with powerful melee units that, left unattended, will roll over your opponents’ gunlines with reckless abandon. And with so many units on the table, what’s to stop you from overcharging your weapons a little more often? There are always more bodies to replace those who have died in the honourable pursuit of scientific excellence!
Creepy Crawlers
The Callisto Assault Gatherers, in particular, have seen quite the glow-up! Their base Attack Pools have been increased significantly, albeit losing Shock in the process, making these units equally capable of mulching enemy transports or the meat inside. They’ve gained precision, all the better to throw your enemies into disarray. Their Speed attribute has increased from 4" to 5", a significant boost for any melee threat! This speed increase has actually been extended to its two artillery cousins as well: they do, after all, have the same legs.
Arguably the greater update, however, is that the Callisto has gained Overrun. Now, this melee monster can positively ensure that whatever it connects with is turned into resources for your mad science.
Et tu, Brute?
The Brute Enforcer Cohorts have also seen a little bump, unwilling to let their cousins the Wardens get all the love. They have gained Point Blank on their Ranged (Light) attack, with a corresponding boost to attack dice. Of course, this does require you to get very close, but
A 2000-point list
By combining an Enlightened Introductory Set, an Enlightened Faction Battlegroup Starter Set and a single Scythe Drone box, you get a wide array of models to take advantage of the latest changes to the game. This list focuses on absolutely maximising all the units who have received their lovely points discounts, pushing forward a veritable horde that your opponent simply HAS to counter before it makes contact!
Thanks to the S.U.R.G. Auxiliary Battle Group this force has ample slots to bolster its Infantry, really allowing you to take greatest advantage of the cheaper melee threats available to the Enlightened. With Full-Strength Brute Wardens, Heavy Construct Devastators and Hellions, your opponents’ Ranged (Light) attacks will be hard-pressed to take you down before you can get off that all-important charge. Reinforced units of Phobos Assault Tripods, Callisto Assault Gatherers and Strider CAV Cohorts give your opponent even more melee monsters to worry about! The Forlorn Hope boon is also here to make sure that one of those units gets a little speed boost, all but ensuring they’ll make it where they want to go.
With all of these spare points, what do you do? Well, whatever you like! In this list we’ve taken a Wells Super Heavy Surveyor and a unit of Europa Artillery Crawlers to allow for some greater ranged firepower in support of your relentless advance. We also were able to take advantage of the Faction Battlegroup’s bolsterable Rotorcraft Element, sending in a Full-Strength Sickle Gyro CAV Cohort. We were even able to squeeze in a Scythe Drone Squadron, ready and willing to unleash its devastating Overcharged Coruscating beam - and if it should survive the experiment, do it again!
Points values correct as of the Enlightened v1.04 Beta ORBAT
For more information regarding the overall changes of this Global Update, read the summary blog.
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