I want to summarize the summoning restrictions for competitive play from GH and what units are worth summoning under that restrictions.
So, in matched play you must substract points from your army to create summoning pool. Of course you don't need to declare what unit you are going to summon, but since death units lack specialisations, a question arises: why should I create summoninng pool in the first place, I can just take a versatile unit for that points and call it good?
While you will be right generally, there are still some units with tricks that make summoning them worthwhile.
1. Units that charge 3d6, which helps them charge suddenly and successfully after summmoning.
Morhasts Harbingers cost 240 for 2 (Nagash can summon 4).
Tomb Kings Carrion has the same ability too, and they are only 80 pts for 3 (Nagash can summon 6). While they are weaker, they can still murder war machine crew or a small shooting unit, or a hero. They have their own inn-built delivering ability, Circling High Above, but summoning them can leave opponent unprepared, so it is a valid option, IMO.
2. Shooty units.
Skeleton Archers are 100 pts for 10 models. For 200 pts, you can summon a unit that can make 40 shots at anything within 24". Again, your opponent may be unprepared. Buff the unit for maximum effectivity (and there are so many buffs that can affect them, including wight king's command abitity for extra 20 shots).
On the other hand, Banshee costs only 80 and can be summoned just in range of her Ghostly Howl, wich deals 2d6-Bravery mortal wounds. Great way to soften those armoured monsters. Bonus points for reducing target's Bravery beforehand (Screaming Skull Catapult comes to mind). Btw, Nagash can summon 2 at once!
Terrorgheist is just a bigger banshee, more expensive (320 pts) and more powerful. The casting roll is hard, but you can use the artefact (Sword of Unholy Power) to auto-cast it once. Nagash can summon 2 if you have that many!
3. Units with debuffing auras.
Bat swarms are 80 pts for 2, and can be summoned within 9" of one shooting units, while their -1 shooting accuracy aura is 12". They can even try to charge. And if they succeed, they can live rather long grinding archers, since they ability allows them to heal fully. Nagash can summon 4, if you really want that much.
4. Units that can merge.
I am speaking of zombies, of course. If you already field zombies and your opponent slays a lot of them, you can summon 10 for 60 pts, or 20 for 120 pts (x2 for Nagash). Instantly merge those units, an voila - they again have 3+/3+ attacks!
(This may be changed in the future errata, since all units have a maximum size and zombie merging seem to ignore this restiction, for now at least).
5. Roadblocks.
They are useful in AoS, since all units have a 3" "zone of control".
For roadblocks, you can use zombies (again) for 60 pts per roadblock, or skeleton warriors for 80 pts if you want your roadblock to live longer due to having a save (this is especially useful when summoning into terrain for extra +1 save for skellies).
However, roadblocks possibly don't need summoning. Just field them in front of your more important squads, as you used with Dire Wolves in 8 ed. If you do that, you will hardly ever need to summon more roadblocks. And for your fast units, you can use the Dire Wolves as roadblocks instead of zombies/skellies.
6. Sudden strategic point grabbing.
Let's say, you a playing a battleplan that can be won by capturing strategic points. It's the last turn, and one or more points are empty - units were wiped by shooting/magic, or monster killed them in hth and moved away to join the fray elsewhere. With 18" summoning, it is not hard to suddenly summon 10 zombies or skellies to grab it. You won't see this situation every game, but again, you don't need to declare what are you going to summon each game.
So, your summoning pool can be around 240-280 points, and you will have a small variety of units available for different purposes. And since you don't have to declare what you are going to summon, you opponent may be unprepared, giving you some advantage.
What do you think? Can you add something I missed?
EDIT:
So (according to GH errata), summoning can be used as a way to add something to your army that would otherwise break your allegiance (not so useful now, but may become later, when deathrattle, deathwalker, deathmage, nighthaunt and deathlords battletomes will be released).
It also can be used to squeeze extra restricted units into your army (leaders, behemoths and artillery). The most obvious use is to summon extra cairn wraiths and banshees while having maximum number of leaders, both to have extra sources of Deathless Minions trait and for their own abilities (banshee scream makes her ideal for summoning!).
So, in matched play you must substract points from your army to create summoning pool. Of course you don't need to declare what unit you are going to summon, but since death units lack specialisations, a question arises: why should I create summoninng pool in the first place, I can just take a versatile unit for that points and call it good?
While you will be right generally, there are still some units with tricks that make summoning them worthwhile.
1. Units that charge 3d6, which helps them charge suddenly and successfully after summmoning.
Morhasts Harbingers cost 240 for 2 (Nagash can summon 4).
Tomb Kings Carrion has the same ability too, and they are only 80 pts for 3 (Nagash can summon 6). While they are weaker, they can still murder war machine crew or a small shooting unit, or a hero. They have their own inn-built delivering ability, Circling High Above, but summoning them can leave opponent unprepared, so it is a valid option, IMO.
2. Shooty units.
Skeleton Archers are 100 pts for 10 models. For 200 pts, you can summon a unit that can make 40 shots at anything within 24". Again, your opponent may be unprepared. Buff the unit for maximum effectivity (and there are so many buffs that can affect them, including wight king's command abitity for extra 20 shots).
On the other hand, Banshee costs only 80 and can be summoned just in range of her Ghostly Howl, wich deals 2d6-Bravery mortal wounds. Great way to soften those armoured monsters. Bonus points for reducing target's Bravery beforehand (Screaming Skull Catapult comes to mind). Btw, Nagash can summon 2 at once!
Terrorgheist is just a bigger banshee, more expensive (320 pts) and more powerful. The casting roll is hard, but you can use the artefact (Sword of Unholy Power) to auto-cast it once. Nagash can summon 2 if you have that many!
3. Units with debuffing auras.
Bat swarms are 80 pts for 2, and can be summoned within 9" of one shooting units, while their -1 shooting accuracy aura is 12". They can even try to charge. And if they succeed, they can live rather long grinding archers, since they ability allows them to heal fully. Nagash can summon 4, if you really want that much.
4. Units that can merge.
I am speaking of zombies, of course. If you already field zombies and your opponent slays a lot of them, you can summon 10 for 60 pts, or 20 for 120 pts (x2 for Nagash). Instantly merge those units, an voila - they again have 3+/3+ attacks!
(This may be changed in the future errata, since all units have a maximum size and zombie merging seem to ignore this restiction, for now at least).
5. Roadblocks.
They are useful in AoS, since all units have a 3" "zone of control".
For roadblocks, you can use zombies (again) for 60 pts per roadblock, or skeleton warriors for 80 pts if you want your roadblock to live longer due to having a save (this is especially useful when summoning into terrain for extra +1 save for skellies).
However, roadblocks possibly don't need summoning. Just field them in front of your more important squads, as you used with Dire Wolves in 8 ed. If you do that, you will hardly ever need to summon more roadblocks. And for your fast units, you can use the Dire Wolves as roadblocks instead of zombies/skellies.
6. Sudden strategic point grabbing.
Let's say, you a playing a battleplan that can be won by capturing strategic points. It's the last turn, and one or more points are empty - units were wiped by shooting/magic, or monster killed them in hth and moved away to join the fray elsewhere. With 18" summoning, it is not hard to suddenly summon 10 zombies or skellies to grab it. You won't see this situation every game, but again, you don't need to declare what are you going to summon each game.
So, your summoning pool can be around 240-280 points, and you will have a small variety of units available for different purposes. And since you don't have to declare what you are going to summon, you opponent may be unprepared, giving you some advantage.
What do you think? Can you add something I missed?
EDIT:
So (according to GH errata), summoning can be used as a way to add something to your army that would otherwise break your allegiance (not so useful now, but may become later, when deathrattle, deathwalker, deathmage, nighthaunt and deathlords battletomes will be released).
It also can be used to squeeze extra restricted units into your army (leaders, behemoths and artillery). The most obvious use is to summon extra cairn wraiths and banshees while having maximum number of leaders, both to have extra sources of Deathless Minions trait and for their own abilities (banshee scream makes her ideal for summoning!).
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