Fracture Army Focus: Forces of the Abyss

This is the third article in a series. You can check out the previous articles here:

• Basilea
• Ogres

A Closer Look at the New Forces of the Abyss Army List

With Kings of War: Fracture now out in the wild, players have had a chance to dig into the next major chapter of Pannithor’s story, and the new rules that come with it.

Alongside new lore, short fiction, scenarios, universal Command Orders and gameplay updates, Fracture includes four completely new army lists: Basilea, Ogres, Forces of the Abyss and Forces of Nature. To explore what those lists bring to the tabletop, we’ve been speaking with members of the Kings of War Core Playtesting Group, getting their perspective on the design direction, standout units and new tactical options for each army.

For this third instalment, we’re looking at the Forces of the Abyss, with insights from Josh Laffoon from the CPG.

The old order is cracking, and the Abyssal legions are marching into Pannithor

The Abyss is both a physical scar in the world of Pannithor and a spiritual nightmare. Torn open at the end of the God War, it became the prison of the Wicked Ones, a hellish realm of shifting Circles, demonic hosts and damned souls.

For centuries, the Abyss has threatened the mortal world from beneath Tragar. Basilean crusades, ancient wars and even the flooding of the Abyss have all pushed back its power at different times, but none have truly destroyed the Wicked Ones or ended the danger below.

In Fracture, that danger is changing shape. As Halpi’s Rift destabilises the world and the Shining Ones are divided, the Abyss is beginning to stir in new and dangerous ways. Oskan, Ba’el, Grimgrin and other powers within the Abyss are all moving pieces of their own, while new fractures, rents and vortices suggest that Abyssal corruption is no longer confined to one place on the map.

The Forces of the Abyss are not simply invading again. The old order is cracking, the gods are scheming, and the nightmare below is finding new paths into Pannithor.

We asked Josh to talk us through the new Forces of the Abyss list, and share some insights into what players can look forward to when they march to war under the banners of the Wicked Ones.

What do you personally like about the Forces of the Abyss, and what do you think defines the army?

Josh: The Forces of the Abyss are an army made from pure savagery, ambition and hatred.

They are an endless horde of fractious, otherworldly fiends, forever cursed with the drive to fight for a higher station in the Abyss, and to cause bloodshed in the world of Pannithor.

To be an Abyssal is to fight constantly for status within a brutal hierarchy

Some are born from the dark energies native to their plane, while others are “Mortal-Born”: tempted to evil and turned into darker versions of themselves.

Core infantry such as Lower Abyssals are not especially powerful, but what they lack in power, they make up for in resilience due to their Regeneration ability. The more powerful Specialist, Support and Hero options then bring a variety of tactical options and a ton of damage-dealing potential to the list.

What was the team trying to achieve with the Fracture version of the Forces of the Abyss list?

Josh: The Forces of the Abyss are already a very thematic army, with units well represented by a variety of Core, Support and Specialist options. Instead of going in a completely new direction, we wanted to double down on the existing themes and build on what the army already does well.

Forces of the Abyss have traditionally been a pretty grindy army, playing into Regeneration and wound transfer between friendly units, backed up by heavy-hitting “hammer” units.

The new Command Orders Fleshknit, which improves Regeneration, and Ultimate Betrayal, which hampers an enemy unit’s offensive capability, help keep those lower Defence Core units alive long enough to see the later stages of the game.

On the damage-dealing front, we wanted to make sure that there was a clear distinction between those big hammer units. Now the Abyssal Horsemen serve as the classic heavy cavalry, Abyssal Berserkers are the fearless mass-attack unit, Tortured Souls are mobile terrain specialists with Pathfinder and Strider, and the Molochs are the consistent heavy damage dealers.

Abyssal Berserkers still bring a huge number of attacks - and now they're Fearless to boot!

Can you share a few highlights from the new list?

Josh: Along with more defined roles for certain units, there are new ways to unlock those units through Champion and Warlord choices.

The Hellequin Blood-Masque Champion is a skilled melee threat that can change one regiment of Abyssal Horsemen to a Core choice. It also provides combat synergies with its Bloodseeker ability, giving it +1 to its dice rolls when issuing a Command Order to a friendly unit engaged in the same combat.

Or beware the temptations of Mau’ti-bu-su, armed with the new Abyssal unique spell Whispers of Wickedness, and her core of Tortured Souls.

Tortured Souls now have Pathfinder and Strider - and Mau’ti-bu-su turns Regiments of them into Core choices!

Players will find many devious list-construction choices that make the army feel uniquely fiendish amongst the other armies of Pannithor.

Are there any new units or returning favourites players should look out for?

Josh: One such fiendish unit players will want to experience first-hand is the return of the Abyssal Guard in the Specialist role!

These elite fighting forces from the Upper Circle of the Abyss bring a very powerful infantry option to the army.

With Defence 5+ and Regeneration 5+, it will take more than one unit charging to bring a horde of these down. Even in regiment size, they can be a menace in the flanks, or work as a second-line attack unit when you take the two-handed weapon option, replacing Crushing Strength 1 with Crushing Strength 2 while lowering their Defence to 4+.

It’s just too bad that this fearsome unit is locked away in the Specialist slot...oh wait, I think there might be a Warlord to help with that... *wicked grin*

Note from Mantic: A digital upgrade pack to turn the hard plastic Lower Abyssals into Abyssal Guard is in the works, and set to be released via the Mantic Vault soon. Keep an eye out for it!

Abyssal Guard digital upgrade pack coming soon!

Which Command Order best captures the feel of the new list?

Josh: A brand new devious tactic in the Forces of the Abyss comes from the Ultimate Betrayal Command Order.

Imagine the horror of being tempted by the Abyss, and seeing that temptation reflected during combat as you morph into the very thing you are trying to cleanse from the battlefield.

With a successful Command Order given to an Upper Circle trait unit, a single enemy that attacks that unit in combat will use your unit’s Melee and Crushing Strength values instead of their own.

Used at the right time, this has the potential to make regenerating Abyssal units very sturdy against even the most elite combat threats, and it feels exactly like the sort of cruel trick the Abyss should be able to pull.

How does the Fracture list bring Abyssal lore onto the tabletop?

Josh: The Forces of the Abyss are an army full of deceit, temptation and persistence on the battlefield.

Playing this army should make you feel like a master manipulator who revels in the pain and suffering you bring upon your enemies.

Whether you prefer showering your enemies with unhealable hellfire from Teynne’s Searing Pain, or disrupting the opponent’s game plan with Seeds of Distrust from the Lord of Lies, this army offers a breadth of strategies to play with.

The Lord of Lies isn't just a beast in combat - he also shuts down enemy Command Orders!

What kind of player will enjoy the new Forces of the Abyss list?

Josh: Players who enjoy the ability to interact with an opponent’s units in unique ways will be tempted by this army. The same goes for players who love cheap units sticking around way past their normal life expectancy because of Regeneration.

The Forces of the Abyss also offer a wide range of strategies, depending on the variety of distinct Warlord options that can shape your list in very different directions. If you enjoy dark tricks, resilient infantry, heavy-hitting monsters and units that feel like they are constantly clawing their way up a brutal hierarchy, then the Abyss may be calling to you.

The Abyss Stirs

Thanks again to Josh for sharing his thoughts on the new Forces of the Abyss army list in Fracture.

The Forces of the Abyss have always been one of the most distinctive armies in Kings of War: cruel, relentless and full of dark surprises. The new list builds on that identity by adding both breadth and depth: giving units more clearly defined battlefield roles, adding devious Command Orders, bringing back favourites like the Abyssal Guard, and plenty more.

Whether you want to grind the enemy down with swarms of cheap, regenerating infantry, unleash elite Abyssal killers, twist your opponent’s own strength against them, or simply cackle wickedly every time you roll your dice, there's plenty here for you to enjoy.

Kings of War: Fracture is available now in hardback and PDF, with the rules content also available through the Mantic Companion for subscribers.

Grab your copy of Fracture, build your list, and let the Abyss rise once more.

Stay tuned for the final blog in this series, coming soon.