Warhammer 40k - Detachment Review 2 - Astra Militarum - Bridgehead Strike
Hello everyone!
Rounding out all the Datasheet Reviews of the Astra Militarum before their new Codex arrives will be this Detachment Review.
I already Reviewed the Astra Militarum Army Rule, this is the rule that applies for all Astra Militarum armies... though who knows if the Codex modifies this?
Army Rule Recap
The Astra Militarum Army rule is Voice of Command, where Officers from the army issue Orders to other units and grand them special buffs that last for a turn.
The full review about those buffs can be found here.
I also previously reviewed the first and only Detachment for the Astra Militarum that was available at the time - the Combined Regiment.
With its Born Soldiers ability, the Combined Regiment allowed Astra Militarum players to play a mix of Infantry and Vehicles to decent effectiveness.
During Christmas, Warhammer-Community launched the Grotmas Advent Calendar and every faction got themselves a new Detachment to play.
In the case of the Astra Militarum, it is this, the Bridgehead Strike Detachment.
Let's jump in.
Detachment Rules
If a Militarum Tempestus Officer model from your army is your Warlord then Tempestus Scions gain the Battleline Keyword. While such a unit is not Battleshocked, they get +1 OC.
Only The Best
Each time an Astra Militarum Infantry model makes a Ranged Attack, re-roll a Hit roll of 1.
Fire Zone Purge
Each time a Militarum Tempestus model from your army makes a ranged attack in a turn they were set up from Reserves or had disembarked from a Transport, add 1 to the Wound roll.
Thoughts
The Combined Regiment gave Infantry Lethal Hits vs Infantry and Vehicles Lethal Hits vs Vehicles.
This army plays a bit differently. It favours Infantry and especially Militarum Tempestus in vehicles/with deep strike.
You army would need to be made up of these elite troops to take advantage of these rules. Good Ballistic Skill is key to the Astra Militarum Gunline but in this case, you might have a standing block of infantry holding the home and no-man's land but you will need to field a decent amount of mobile Tempestus units.
My take is that the Taurox and especially the Taurox Prime is your friend!
That Army rules involving the Warlord wound mean that Tempestus Scions are OC 2 to help you claim objectives.
Enhancements
Every Detachment has their own Enhancements to put on Characters. You cannot put 2 Enhancements on 1 hero, Epic Heros cannot take theim either and you are limited to 3 of the 4.
Here are the Enhancements for the Bridgehead Strike:
Bombast-class Vox-array - 25pts
Militarum Tempestus Officer model only.
When issuing an order, if this model's unit contains a Master-Vox, it can issue that Order to up to three different Regiment units instead of only one.
This is different from the Grand Strategist enhancement that the Combined Regiment can do. That enhancement allows you 1 additional Order per turn. This one give 1 Order to three targets. There is a range limit to Orders 6" usually but a Master Vox allows you a 24" Range.
It might be worth mentioning that at this point, there is only 1 option for a Militarum Tempestus Officer with a Master Vox in the unit and that is the Tempestor Prime in a Militarum Tempestus Command Squad.
I have not seen anything to indicate that there will be other options in the new Codex coming up.
Priority-drop Beacon - 30pts
Militarum Tempestus Officer model only.
The bearer's unit can be set up using Deep Strike rules and can be set up in your first, second or third Movement phase regardless of mission rules.
Again, note that there is only 1 eligible model that can do this. I would hazard a guess and say that a Tempestus Command unit, attacheds to a full unit of Tempestus Scions can use this to Deep Strike onto an objective in No-Man's land on turn 1 or 2 and camp there.
This would be a different Command Squad to the unit with the 3 orders above.
Shroud Projector - 15pts
Militarum Tempetus Officer only.
Enemy units cannot use the Fire Overwatch Stratagem against the bearer's unit.
Simple, handy. Some armies are more inclined to use Overwatch than others. But on a third Tempestor Prime? In what application? It feels a bit redundant.
Advance Augury - 15pts
Infantry Officer model only.
After both players have deployed their armies, select up to three Regiment units and redeploy them, they can place those units into Reserves is they want to regardless of how many units are in Strategic Reserve.
This is always handy. A Re-position after the enemy have placed their army, or additional Reserves serves as decent deploy and deception tactics. This favours the general who can use these units to fish out what the enemy is planning by making him deploy units in a certain way and then you pull back and backtrack.
Lord Solar Leontus can do this as well with up to three Astra Militarum units, not just Regiment units. Combine the two and you COULD redeploy 6 units in total?! But Leontus has to be the Warlord in an army and if he is, you will not get the OC 2 Scions.
Stratagems
Stratagems are used in the battle as an elective rule that can be employed in crucial moments. All armies have access to Universal Stratagems but each Detachment has their very own Stratagems that they can use.
This is what the Bridgehead can do...
Bellicosa Drop - 1CP
Used in your Reinforcements step of the Movement phase on one Astra Militarum Infantry unit that arrives by Deep Strike.
This unit can be set up within 6" of the enemy instead of the usual 9". This unit cannot declare a charge this turn.
This is used for getting in close to an objective or having more options for insertion. You can shoot, but no close combat. If you have supporting fire, this would be a good way to take Objectives away from the enemy.
Of course, a good combo would be with the Priority-drop Beacon to make a big unit Deep Strike and now to do so within a shorter range of an enemy.
Firing Hot - 1CP
Used on Militarum Tempestus or Kasrkin units in the shooting phase before they shoot.
Until the end of the phase improve Strength and AP of all hot-shot weapons by 1.
This is great. Hot-shot las weapons are S3 AP-1, this would make them app S4 AP-2 which would be great at removing Heavy Infantry from an area.
Fire and Relocate - 1CP
Used in your shooting phase on anything that is not Titanic (like a Baneblade).
This allows you to shoot in a turn you Advanced.
A great mobility and damage buff. Use it to gain sights on the enemy. Use it to claim objectives while also dealing damage to the enemy. Lots of options with this stratagem.
Servo-Designators - 1CP
Used in the Shooting phase after one Astra Militarum Infantry unit has shot. After they have shot, select one enemy unit hit by their attacks.
That unit cannot have Benefit of Cover until the end of the phase.
This is also a great stratagem for weakening the enemy. You want your AP-1 Hot-shot lasguns to do some damage!
Aerial Extraction - 1CP
This stratagem is used at the end of your Opponent's Fight Phase (end of their turn).
You can use it on either one Valkyrie or one Astra Militarum unit that has the Deep Strike ability that is not within Engagement Range of enemy models.
You can then remove that unit from the battlefield and place them back into Strategic Reserves.
Sometimes a unit's job is done on one side of the board and you need the extra movement. This can be used to redeploy that Priority-drop Beacon unit or a unit of Tempestus Aquilons. Another option is the Valkyrie, I would imagine this being used on one that is in Hover mode and has just picked up a unit of infantry to redeploy.
On My Position - 1CP
End of your opponent's Fight phase, target one Regiment Infantry unit from your army that IS in Engagement Range of the enemy.
Roll a D6 for each enemy unit their are in Engagement with. on a 2+ each of tose units suffer D6 Mortal Wounds.
You own unit then suffers 3D3 Mortal Wounds.
You are bombing your own troops. This is not done in your turn, rather in the enemy's turn so it is a reactive. Sometimes multiple enemy units charge the Astra Militarum units, hoping to hold them in combat in the Militarum turn and then not be shot at.
But your men are dying and this gives them the opportunity to take the enemy down with them! Blast apart several enemy units and lose some of your own, sometimes freeing those enemy units from Engagement Range just in time for your army to round off and gun those enemies down!
Conclusion
The Bridgehead is a fun way to play Astra Militarum. If you have the right units to do it, it might be fun to play with Tempestus, Kasrkin, Taurox and Valkyrie units.
I don't know if it would be as easily competitive as the Combined Regiment. Perhaps in the hands of a seasoned veteran, this Detachment could work.
Thank you for reading this post!
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Warhammer Review Library
Army Rule and Detachment Rule Reviews
| Faction | Detachment | Review Number |
|---|---|---|
| Agents of the Imperium | Army Rule #2 | |
| Astra Militarum | Army Rule #1 | |
| Astra Militarum | Combined Regiment | Detachment Rule #1 |
| Space Marines | Army Rule #3 |
Datasheet Review list (Alphabetical)
| Faction | Unit | Review Number |
|---|---|---|
| Adeptus Custodes | Prosecutors | #1 |
| Adeptus Custodes | Knight-Centura | #54 |
| Adeptus Custodes | Shield-Captain | #61 |
| Adeptus Custodes | Shield-Captain in Allarus Terminator Armor | #70 |
| Adeptus Custodes | Trajann Valoris | #40 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Archaeopter Fusilave | #13 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Archaeopter Stratoraptor | #14 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Archaeopter Transvector | #15 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Belisarius Cawl | #53 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Corpuscarii Electro-Priests | #97 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Onager Dunecrawler | #110 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Serberys Raiders | #55 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Serberys Sulphurhounds | #56 |
| Adeptus Mechanicus | Technoarcheologist | #104 |
| Aeldari | Asurmen | #155 |
| Aeldari | Autarch | #175 |
| Aeldari | Autarch Skyrunner | #185 |
| Aeldari | Autarch Wayleaper | #187 |
| Aeldari | Avatar of Khaine | #195 |
| Aeldari | Baharroth | #187 |
| Aeldari | Corsair Voidreavers | #213 |
| Aeldari | Corsair Voidscarred | #215 |
| Aeldari | Crimson Hunter | #219 |
| Aeldari | Dark Reapers | #165 |
| Aeldari | Death Jester | #205 |
| Aeldari | Dire Avengers | #207 |
| Aeldari | Eldrad Ulthran | #199 |
| Aeldari | Farseer | #201 |
| Aeldari | Farseer Skyrunner | #221 |
| Aeldari | Fire Dragons | #225 |
| Aeldari | Fire Prism | #227 |
| Aeldari | Fuegan | #229 |
| Aeldari | Guardian Defenders | #64 |
| Aeldari | Hemlock Wraithfighter | #161 |
| Aeldari | Howling Banshees | #217 |
| Aeldari | Illic Nightspear | #233 |
| Aeldari | Jain Zar | #183 |
| Aeldari | Karandras | #153 |
| Aeldari | Maugan Ra | #87 |
| Aeldari | Night Spinner | #65 |
| Aeldari | Rangers | #149 |
| Aeldari | Shadowseer | #80 |
| Aeldari | Shining Spears | #147 |
| Aeldari | Shroud Runners | #151 |
| Aeldari | Skyweavers | #157 |
| Aeldari | Solitaire | #167 |
| Aeldari | Spiritseer | #169 |
| Aeldari | Starweaver | #173 |
| Aeldari | Storm Guardians | #177 |
| Aeldari | Striking Scorpions | #179 |
| Aeldari | Support Weapon | #189 |
| Aeldari | Swooping Hawks | #191 |
| Aeldari | The Visarch | #159 |
| Aeldari | The Yncarne | #203 |
| Aeldari | Troupe | #197 |
| Aeldari | Source | #209 |
| Aeldari | Prince Yriel | #92 |
| Aeldari | Voidweaver | #171 |
| Aeldari | Vyper | #211 |
| Aeldari | Warlock | #223 |
| Aeldari | Warlock Conclave | #231 |
| Aeldari | Warlock Skyrunner | #235 |
| Aeldari | Warlock Skyrunner Conclave | #237 |
| Aeldari | Warp Spiders | #239 |
| Aeldari | Yvraine | #181 |
| Astra Militarum | Aegis Defence Line | #146 |
| Astra Militarum | Armoured Sentinels | #148 |
| Astra Militarum | Attilan Rough Riders | #154 |
| Astra Militarum | Baneblade | #156 |
| Astra Militarum | Banehammer | #160 |
| Astra Militarum | Banesword | #166 |
| Astra Militarum | Basilisk | #170 |
| Astra Militarum | Bullgryn Squad | #174 |
| Astra Militarum | Cadian Castellan | #158 |
| Astra Militarum | Cadian Command Squad | #178 |
| Astra Militarum | Cadian Shock Troops | #184 |
| Astra Militarum | Catachan Jungle Fighters | #186 |
| Astra Militarum | Chimera | #196 |
| Astra Militarum | Commissar | #200 |
| Astra Militarum | Death Korps of Krieg | #202 |
| Astra Militarum | Deathstrike | #204 |
| Astra Militarum | Doomhammer | #206 |
| Astra Militarum | Field Ordnance Battery | #162 |
| Astra Militarum | Gaunt's Ghosts | #208 |
| Astra Militarum | Heavy Weapons Squad | #182 |
| Astra Militarum | Hellhammer | #210 |
| Astra Militarum | Hellhound | #212 |
| Astra Militarum | Hydra | #214 |
| Astra Militarum | Infantry Squad | #216 |
| Astra Militarum | Iron Hand Straken | #218 |
| Astra Militarum | Kasrkin | #60 |
| Astra Militarum | Leman Russ Battle Tank | #190 |
| Astra Militarum | Leman Russ Demolisher | #220 |
| Astra Militarum | Leman Russ Eradicator | #222 |
| Astra Militarum | Leman Russ Executioner | #224 |
| Astra Militarum | Leman Russ Exterminator | #226 |
| Astra Militarum | Leman Russ Punisher | #228 |
| Astra Militarum | Leman Russ Vanquisher | #230 |
| Astra Militarum | Lord Solar Leontus | #232 |
| Astra Militarum | Manticore | #234 |
| Astra Militarum | Militarum Tempestus Command Squad | #236 |
| Astra Militarum | Munitorum Servitors | #238 |
| Astra Militarum | Ministorum Priest | #240 |
| Astra Militarum | Nork Deddog | #180 |
| Astra Militarum | Ogryn Bodyguard | #150 |
| Astra Militarum | Ogryn Squad | #152 |
| Astra Militarum | Platoon Command Squad | #172 |
| Astra Militarum | Primaris Psyker | #188 |
| Astra Militarum | Ratling Snipers | #164 |
| Astra Militarum | Regimental Attachés | #176 |
| Astra Militarum | Rogal Dorn Battle Tank | #241 |
| Astra Militarum | Scout Sentinel | #242 |
| Astra Militarum | Sergeant Harker | #243 |
| Astra Militarum | Shadowsword | #244 |
| Astra Militarum | Tank Commander | #90 |
| Astra Militarum | Taurox | #198 |
| Astra Militarum | Tech-Priest Enginseer | #194 |
| Astra Militarum | Ursula Creed | #192 |
| Astra Militarum | Wyvern | #81 |
| Astra Militarum | Valkyrie | #168 |
| Black Templars | Black Templars Gladiator | #102 |
| Black Templars | High Marshall Helbrecht | #38 |
| Black Templars | Marshall | #46 |
| Black Templars | The Emperor's Champion | #63 |
| Blood Angels | Astorath | #131 |
| Blood Angels | Baal Predator | #2 |
| Blood Angels | Brother Corbulo | #132 |
| Blood Angels | Captain Tycho | #133 |
| Blood Angels | Chief Librarian Mephiston | #134 |
| Blood Angels | Commander Dante | #135 |
| Blood Angels | Death Company Dreadnought | #136 |
| Blood Angels | Death Company Intercessors | #137 |
| Blood Angels | Death Company Marines | #138 |
| Blood Angels | Death Company Marines with Jump Packs | #139 |
| Blood Angels | Furioso Dreadnought | #140 |
| Blood Angels | Gabriel Seth | #66 |
| Blood Angels | Lemartes | #32 |
| Blood Angels | Librarian Dreadnought | #141 |
| Blood Angels | Sanguinary Guard | #93 |
| Blood Angels | Sanguinary Priest | #142 |
| Blood Angels | Sanguinary Priest with Jump | #143 |
| Blood Angels | The Sanguinor | #144 |
| Blood Angels | Tycho the Lost | #145 |
| Chaos Daemons | Beasts of Nurgle | #98 |
| Chaos Daemons | Daemonettes | #29 |
| Chaos Daemons | Lord of Change | #75 |
| Chaos Daemons | Nurglings | #82 |
| Chaos Knights | Knight Abominant | #94 |
| Chaos Knights | War Dog Brigands | #30 |
| Chaos Knights | War Dog Executioners | #31 |
| Chaos Knights | War Dog Huntsman | #77 |
| Chaos Space Marines | Abbadon the Despoiler | #50 |
| Chaos Space Marines | Haarken Worldclaimer | #41 |
| Chaos Space Marines | Khorne Lord of Skulls | #37 |
| Dark Angels | Asmodai | #16 |
| Dark Angels | Azrael | #17 |
| Dark Angels | Belial | #4 |
| Dark Angels | Deathwing Knights | #20 |
| Dark Angels | Deathwing Terminator Squad | #99 |
| Dark Angels | Lazarus | #62 |
| Dark Angels | Land Speeder Vengeance | #101 |
| Death Guard | Biologus Putrifier | #5 |
| Death Guard | Blightlord Terminators | #10 |
| Death Guard | Chaos Lord | #36 |
| Death Guard | Lord of Contagion | #52 |
| Death Guard | Tallyman | #39 |
| Death Guard | Malignant Plaguecaster | #71 |
| Deathwatch | Corvus Blackstar | #72 |
| Deathwatch | Deathwatch Veterans | #114 |
| Deathwatch | Watch Captain Artemis | #122 |
| Deathwatch | Watch Master | #124 |
| Drukhari | Grotesques | #45 |
| Drukhari | Haemonculus | #8 |
| Drukhari | Raider | #35 |
| Drukhari | Scourges | #7 |
| Genestealer Cults | Aberants | #47 |
| Genestealer Cults | Hybrid Metamorphs | #58 |
| Genestealer Cults | Reductus Saboteur | #33 |
| Grey Knights | Brother Captain | #25 |
| Grey Knights | Grand Master | #48 |
| Grey Knights | Strike Squad | #51 |
| Imperial Agents | Callidus Assassin | #9 |
| Imperial Agents | Culexus Assassin | #69 |
| Imperial Agents | Eversor Assassin | #105 |
| Imperial Agents | Exaction Squad | #111 |
| Imperial Agents | Imperial Navy Breachers | #113 |
| Imperial Agents | Inquisitor | #115 |
| Imperial Agents | Inquisitor Coteaz | #117 |
| Imperial Agents | Inquisitor Greyfax | #121 |
| Imperial Agents | Inquisitorial Henchmen | #123 |
| Imperial Agents | Lord Inquisitor Kyria Draxus | #126 |
| Imperial Agents | Rogue Trader Entourage | #127 |
| Imperial Agents | Subductor Squad | #128 |
| Imperial Agents | Vigilant Squad | #26 |
| Imperial Agents | Vindicare Assassin | #129 |
| Imperial Agents | Voidsmen-at-Arms | #130 |
| Imperial Knights | Canis Rex | #76 |
| Imperial Knights | Armiger Helverin | #22 |
| Imperial Knights | Armiger Warglaive | #43 |
| Imperial Knights | Knight Castellan | #83 |
| Leagues of Votann | Brôkhyr Iron-master | #27 |
| Leagues of Votann | Brôkhyr Thunderkyn | #78 |
| Leagues of Votann | Cthonian Beserks | #86 |
| Leagues of Votann | Sagitaur | #3 |
| Leagues of Votann | Ûthar the Destined | #44 |
| Necrons | Obelisk | #11 |
| Orks | Battlewagon | #34 |
| Orks | Hunta Rig | #28 |
| Orks | Zodgrod Wortsnagga | #89 |
| Space Marines | Kayvaan Shrike | #23 |
| Space Marines | Marneus Calgar | #42 |
| Space Marines | Razorback | #21 |
| Space Marines | Vanguard Veteran Squad with Jump Packs | #103 |
| Space Wolves | Arjac Rockfist | #68 |
| Space Wolves | Fenrisian Wolves | #91 |
| Space Wolves | Wolf Guard | #74 |
| T'au Empire | Breacher Team | #88 |
| T'au Empire | Darkstrider | #12 |
| T'au Empire | Kroot Carnivore Squad | #19 |
| T'au Empire | Pathfinder Team | #79 |
| T'au Empire | Piranhas | #107 |
| T'au Empire | Razorshark Strike Fighter | #95 |
| T'au Empire | Stealth Battlesuits | #67 |
| Thousand Sons | Ahriman | #108 |
| Thousand Sons | Ahriman on Disc of Tzeentch | #109 |
| Thousand Sons | Exalted Sorcerer | #59 |
| Thousand Sons | Magnus the Red | #49 |
| Tyranids | Barbgaunts | #6 |
| Tyranids | Lictor | #106 |
| Tyranids | Raveners | #96 |
| Tyranids | Screamer Killer | #24 |
| World Eaters | Lord Invocatus | #100 |
| World Eaters | World Eaters Chaos Spawn | #18 |
| World Eaters | World Eaters Daemon Prince | #85 |
Legends Datasheet Review list
| Faction | Unit | Review Number |
|---|---|---|
| Deathwatch | Deathwatch Terminator Squad | #112 |
| Deathwatch | Fortis Kill Team | #116 |
| Deathwatch | Indomitor Kill Team | #118 |
| Deathwatch | Kill Team Cassius | #120 |
| Deathwatch | Proteus Killteam | #57 |
| Deathwatch | Spectrus Kill Team | #73 |
| Deathwatch | Veteran Bike Squad | #84 |
| Imperial Agents | Inquisitor Eisenhorn | #119 |
| Imperial Agents | Inquisitor Karamazov | #125 |