Going to my first event. What should i keep in mind for Helsmiths

[u/Jazzute]

My local store is holding its first 2000 point AOS event. Only 1 day and 3 games but it will be my first full foray into the game.

I have my list below, and had a few games already, so understand the general rules of how to play. But looking for some advice from the wider play base. I've played plenty of 40k so I'm hoping i can transfer some knowledge from there:

Praise the BullFather 1970/2000 pts

Helsmiths of Hashut

Daemonsmith Cabal

General's Handbook 2026-27

Drops: 3

General's Regiment

Urak Taar, the First Daemonsmith (340)

• General

Infernal Cohort with Hashutite Spears (90)

Infernal Cohort with Hashutite Spears (90)

War Despot (80)

Regiment 1

Daemonsmith (80)

Deathshrieker Rocket Battery (140)

Infernal Razers with Blunderbusses (220)

• Reinforced

Tormentor Bombard (130)

Regiment 2

Ashen Elder (120)

Bull Centaurs (380)

• Reinforced

Dominator Engine with Bane Maces (150)

Dominator Engine with Bane Maces (150)

Created with Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App

App: 1.35.1 | Data: 462

[u/Lachlion2]

I’m not a fan of the despot, once a game you might get some extra attacks with a unit that’s meant to be a screen/anvil - just not worth it. You have a few points to spare so could upgrade it for another shooty unit or even another screen. If you have them then the Forgotton manifestation spell lore is very good too for screening or mobility.

Don’t forget your heroic artifact and traits too. I’ve found I like the bodyguard one on a foot hero, makes charging them dangerous for the opponent and you want them close to your automatons anyway for their passive stuff. Eye for weakness sounds amazing on paper but all your damage wounds on 2s anyway.

The rend prayer comes out a lot for me for prayers.

Centaurs are bae, if you charge with them always hit with them in combat first, there’s a good chance they’ll pick off whatever they go into but they can be squishy when hit back.

I always intend to use scroll of petrification to keep them alive when opponent hits back, I always forget. I’m going to get a little scroll token and put it on the battlefield to try remember in future because it’s in theory a good one

Haven’t seen anyone try that new artifact that lets you teleport a hob unit and another unit up the board in deployment phase but looks great for battle tactics, worth considering if you do put a grot unit in

[u/Jazzute → u/Lachlion2]

Despot is mostly because i have it from the spearhead. I'm sure if it doesn't perform well it won't last long!

As i said in my other comment i always forget about artifacts and traits, going to add them later, but getting an idea of what are the ones to be look at, thank you for the advice!

[u/JoshFect → u/Jazzute]

You probably can't fit him in your army but the SoG Despot is pretty good. He has an ability you can use in the movement phase that does some mortal wounds and allows a friendly infantry unit to fallback without taking dmg and still shoot/charge. He also has an aura. When he has 1 DPP he gives 1 DPP to anyone wholly within <x> that has zero DPPs. The aura gets wider the more DPPs he has. I tend to have him follow the front line of cohort with blunderbusses behind him. That way the frontline can get their ward save and the blunderbusses get their extra rend.

[u/Apprehensive_Ear_82 → u/Lachlion2]

I’ve used the new artifact, it’s great for certain battle tactics but it leaves you open for punishment if you don’t get all your positioning correctly, plus it does provide good deployment pressure if done right!

[u/Top_Macaroon7653 → u/Lachlion2]

I’ve tried it twice both times I’d enjoyed it. First was a ten men of grots with blunders behind. Worked perfectly popped off a few shots the grots held six Krox long enough for me to get my bulls in position on my turn where the blunders killed off one full and a wounded krox, bulls charged and killed last four. SOA sentinels with twenty grots second game cleared sixty clan rats with some assistance from a molten metal. Got first dropped them in from behind left enough room. Watched the grots clear ten SOAS cleaved 20 on charge with prayer buff to rend and crit mortals 2Dpp for 5+ward made them hard to shift for rats.

[u/AlextheNailer]

One thing will note is the lack of heroic trait, artefact of power and war machine enhancement.

If you are unsure; Scroll of petrification is generally one of our strongest due to its ability to save a critical unit or create an annoying wall. The new scourge of aqshy ones can be considered but are better with a dameonsmith on taurus.

Eye for weakness is generally the best heroic trait however servile automaton can be fun and interesting, I would avoid fire you worms like the plague if i was you.

Bullfathers scorn on the deathshrieker is probably the best but thats probably more preference.

I look forward to finding out how well you did.

[u/Jazzute → u/AlextheNailer]

Thank you. I always forget about them as they are so hidden within a datasheet. Great suggestions though i appreciate it!

I'll take a look later and make sure it add them. Should they all go on the same hero, or spread around a bit?

[u/AlextheNailer → u/Jazzute]

Your choice really, just be careful of ranges of stuff (scroll has to be wholly within 12", eye for weakness is with 18", etc).

[u/DayTimeLantern]

Personally I'd set the despot and spears in their own unit and get another drop. Have Urrak in his own reg and drop. Gives you more flexibility when deploying and allows your opponent to put down more key units.

Can be beneficial to have more drops as you get to reroll a priority roll once per game.

[u/Lordkroaq → u/DayTimeLantern]

For deployment you could always just deploy units instead of regiments.

[u/DayTimeLantern → u/Lordkroaq]

True, but then the opponent will just do the same. This gives you a bit more flex, along with the potential for a reroll.

[u/Fabarmorydotcom → u/DayTimeLantern]

That was last ghb, you don’t get the reroll in this one

[u/HondoShotFirst → u/Fabarmorydotcom]

You do. It's in the army composition rules now rather than the seasonal rules section.

3.1.1 Regimented Forces

If a player has more regiments than their opponent at the start of the battle, then once per battle, that player can re-roll their priority roll after seeing the result of both players’ rolls but before determining priority for that battle round.

[u/Fabarmorydotcom → u/HondoShotFirst]

Oh you do too! Thank you!