Psychic Powers
Generic
Smite - The power every Psyker gets. The only differences are lone Warlocks halve the range and only cause 1 mortal wound, unless in a Conclave. Then they cause 1 if the unit is 3 or less models, the normal amount if 4-6 models, and at 7+ they always cause d6 mortal wounds. It's the standard power for use when you really want to wound something, or no other powers are useful/in range.
Runes of Battle
These are available to Warlocks, Spiritseers and the Hemlock Wraithfighter. All the buffs target a friendly Infantry or Biker unit and all the debuffs target an enemy unit, both at 18" range. Choose a power for a Psyker and they get access to both versions, although the Wraithfighter only gets access to the debuff.
Conceal - Your opponent gets -1 to hit for shooting attacks targeting you unit, until your next Psychic Phase. Always useful to slow down your opponent's shooting on a key unit. Really works well for the theoretical Alaitoc Gunline as well.
Reveal - Removes the cover bonus for an enemy unit. Marines in cover have a 2+ armour save, so this is always useful, especially for the Wraithfighter, who can go looking for units to Reveal. It also turns off bonuses like Camoleoline Cloaks.
Embolden - +2 Leadership. Marginal. You have to expect it to need it's Leadership value, which isn't guaranteed. Unnecessary for Iyanden.
Horrify - -1 Leadership for an enemy unit. This however is really good, as you can target a unit you are about to cause lots of casualties to. It can also stack with other abilities that affect/care about Leadership like Mindshock Pods and Mind War for some devastating effects.
Empower - +1 to wound rolls in the Fight Phase until your next Psychic Phase. Good for your close combat units, also means Wraithblades with Ghost Axes will wound all but the toughest units on 2s.
Enervate - An enemy unit gets -1 to wound in the Fight Phase, until your next Psychic Phase. Suddenly their elite combat unit isn't killing anything. Can also make a Wraithlord nigh-unkillable in combat.
Enhance - +1 to hit for an Infantry/Biker unit in the Fight Phase. This can make your Scorpions/Banshees hit on 2s, or negate the -1 for Ghost Axes. A solid choice to accompany melee units.
Drain - As expected, the inverse for an opposing unit. Again, makes their combat unit worse, or makes a normal unit unable to do much in melee.
Protect - +1 to saving throws for the target until your next Psychic Phase. This covers both armour and invulnerable saves. Really good for that unit you want to keep alive, and frustrating for the opponent.
Jinx - Despite on the surface looking like the opposite of Protect, it works out even better. Opposing Terminators get a 3+ armour save while under this powers effect, making it easier to reduce it with AP to a point where it is useless. They then want to rely on their invul save, only to find that's been reduced too. Similar effects on units with Storm Shields. No matter how many saves a unit has, they will all be reduced.
Quicken - The targeted unit can move again, as if it was the Movement Phase. This means they can even Advance. Jetbikes zipping from one side of the field to the other, as long as a Warlock is near the mid-point of their journey. Combat units are also more likely to successfully Charge if this is used on them.
Restrain - The targeted unit gets it's Move characteristic halved. Think on that. Removing movement options from the opponent can stop Charges, inhibit the ability to reach objectives, or narrow their window for escape. Very versatile if you can time this correctly.
Runes of Fate
These don't have a common theme, other than they are powerful and only available to Farseers.
Will of Asuryan - Did I say they are powerful? This one is actually subtly powerful, but situational. Units within 6" auto pass Morale, and you get +1 to Deny tests. You won't often need this buff, but the times you do and have it in place, it will be amazing. The rest of the time, you'll be casting Smite instead.
Guide - Re-roll ranged weapons. This applies to both Shooting and Overwatch. This is an obvious power, with obvious targets. It also has a range of 24", meaning the Farseer doesn't have to stay near the unit. Good for casting on War Walkers that have outflanked, or Hawks that have come in via deep strike and therefore aren't nearby.
Doom - This has long been my favourite power. Re-rolling failed Wound rolls against the targeted unit until your next Psychic Phase. All of them. It doesn't matter if you are shooting or fighting, your turn or the opponents. This can help reduce the hardiest of opposing units to dust, especially if combined with Jinx.
Fortune - A 5+ "Feel No Pain", that doesn't combo with any similar ability. It's good for keeping a unit alive, and doesn't have the Infantry/Biker restriction of the Runes of Battle powers. Let's your Wraithknight survive all the big guns it's going to attract.
Executioner - An alternative/additional Smite. D3 mortal wounds, and if that slays a model, d3 more. If it didn't say closest enemy unit, it would be great for killing off Astra Militarum weapons teams. Still, a Farseer Skyrunner may be able to get into the perfect positions to cast this and Smite on the correct target.
Mind War - Choose an enemy Character within 18". Roll off and add Leadership. If you win, they suffer the difference in mortal wounds. Combo this with Mindshock pods and Horrify for -3 to their Leadership, and your Farseer's 9 should see many support characters fall.
Tactical Objectives
I'm not going to analyse all 36 tactical objectives, just the 6 that are unique to the Asuryani. As a side note, they all have lovely Eldar artwork.
Combined Strike - Destroy units, with it scaling in points for the more phases of the turn you destroy them in. Rewards a balanced build with the ability to kill units with Psychic Powers, shooting and melee. Also potentially easier to score in the late game when enemy units are smaller and easier to kill, especially with Smite.
Strands of Fate - Control a randomly generated objective. Increase or decrease it's number if your Warlord is a Psyker. A simple on, though having some control over the outcome is nice, I'd still rather have an Autarch Warlord for the regaining of Command Points, than worry about drawing this card at a bad time.
The Hidden Path - If your opponent isn't within 12" of a randomly generated objective, gain a point. Can be hit or miss. Not that difficult to achieve unless it happens to be the one your opponent's whole army is parked on.
Khaine's Wrath - Charge. Gain more points if more units charge. Some armies won't want to see this card. Others will get the d3 points every time.
Master of Runes - Cast Psychic Powers (except Smite). 3 or more powers gives you d3 points. As if you needed encouragement to have multiple Psykers in the army.
Legacy of Sorrow - Kill an enemy Character. Assassinate, but only worth 1 point, not matter how many you kill. Between snipers, Mind War and positioning, this shouldn't be too hard to score the turn you draw it.
Stratagems
With the correct selection of units and precision timing, the Asuryani Stratagems bring a lot of synergy to the army and frustration to your opponent. There are even Craftworld specific ones.
1 Command Point
Command Re-roll - The generic one. Well timed re-rolls for dice you can't re-roll with other abilities. There are more Stratagems now vying for your points, but this one is never to be forgotten.
Vaul's Might - 2 Support Weapons within 6" of each other can re-roll 1s to wound for the Shooting Phase. Especially good on D-Cannons, as they will often be wounding on 2s.
Fire and Fade - Shoot and then move 7"? I thought old school Battle Focus was gone. This can be used on any unit, and as it is post-shot it doesn't matter if they fired Heavy Weapons. Great for keeping Alaitoc units out of 12" range, and probably amazing on a Wraithknight.
Seer Council - If a Farseer is near a Warlock, they can both get +1 to Psychic tests. It's a shame you can only use this once per phase, but at least Farseers can cast multiple powers. Especially good with Eldrad who gets +1 for each Psychic test after he succeeds in one.
Starhawk Missile - Flakk missiles! I'm not sure if the mortal wounds replace the weapons normal damage, or are in addition to. And remember, while most aircraft give you -1 to hit (which this compensates for), there are more units that Fly which don't. Feel free to use this to shoot down Assault Marines and T'au Battlesuits.
Overloaded Energy Field Projectors - For the low cost of 1 Command Point a turn, a Wave Serpent can fire it's Serpent Shield every turn. Great for pouring on the mortal wounds. Can work out quite expensive though, assuming the Wave Serpent doesn't get destroyed. Better saved for a surprise, when your opponent has forgotten this exists.
Supreme Disdain - 6s generate extra attacks in combat. Great for a large unit of Storm Guardians. Or the aforementioned Wraithknight, buffed by the Psytronome of Iyanden and using it's Titanic Feet to push it up to an average of 28 attacks that turn.
Linked Fire - Fire Prism linked fire. Lets all your Fire Prisms target the same thing, as long as one of them has range and line of sight. They all get re-rolls on hits and wounds. Great for killing Knights and Daemon Primarchs if you have multiple Fire Prisms. Especially now they can fire twice.
Unparallelled Mastery - Lets a Farseer cast 1 more Psychic power. That will usually be Smite, but every little helps. Especially good if you drew the Master of Runes Tactical Objective this turn.
Concordance of Power - This requires a Warlock Conclave, but it doubles the range of a Runes of Battle power. Stops your opponent from thinking they are safe. Get targets up to 36" away, again great if your opponent isn't expecting it.
The Great Enemy - Re-roll failed wounds in combat against a Slaanesh unit. Combos with Ancient Doom, and will come into play just as often I guess.
Matchless Agility - Why roll for your Advance, when you can just make it a 6? Perfect for Banshees, as pictured on the card, as the can Advance and still charge.
Celestial Shield - Give a Guardian unit a 4+ Invul save for the Shooting Phase. Solid, especially the turn you need them to hold an objective. Combos well with other defensive buffs.
Cloudstrike - Put a Vehicle that can Fly in Deep Strike reserve, including any passengers. Great for keeping Fire Prisms safe from Alpha Strike, or delivering a Wave Serpent full of Wraithguard/Wraithblades exactly where they are needed.
Warriors of the Raging Winds Saim-Hann - Lets your Bikers Advance, Charge and re-roll 1s to hit in the Fight Phase. Especially good for Shining Spears.
Pathfinders Alaitoc - When your opponent targets a unit of Rangers for shooting, they need 6s to hit this turn. Keeps a unit of rangers alive, but they should already have minuses to hit from passive abilities and a decent armour save.
Discipline of the Black Guardians Ulthwe - Used at the start of the Shooting or Fight phase. A unit of Guardians gets +1 to hit for the phase. Better with larger units, it even effects their Support Platforms.
Guided Wraithsight Iyanden - Double the range of a Spiritseer's Spirit Mark and turn it into re-roll failed hits rather than re-roll 1s. Really good for the army that should have both Spiritseers and Wraith Construct units. And only 1 Command Point.
2 Command Points
Insane Bravery - Auto pass a morale test. Everyone gets this one. Some Craftworlds won't need to use this at all.
Counter-Offensive - Interrupt the flow of combat. Stops you being slaughtered by a full army charge. Always useful, worth the 2 points. An incentive to not blow all your points to early.
Tears of Isha - Heal a Wraith Construct d3 wounds. Keeps a Wraithguard unit closer to full strength, stops a Wraithlord from dying and forces an opponent to kill an Iyanden Wraithknight to reduce it's effectiveness.
Phantasm - Before the first turn begins, redeploy up to 3 Asuryani units. Great for setting up the refused flank, or to remove units from the opponents line of sight. Even lets you take units from the Battlefield and put them into alternate deployment modes, if the unit allows.
Runes of Witnessing - Turns a Farseer into a Space Marine Lieutenant. Great when combined with Guide on a unit like Dark Reapers.
Lightning-Fast Reactions - Insta-cast Conceal on a unit. Even effects melee. Another one that can catch out an unaware opponent.
Feigned Retreat - If a unit falls back, 2 points lets it shoot and charge normally. Really good for getting out of a bad combat, or leap frogging through bubble wrap.
Forewarned - Lets you attack a unit that came in as Reinforcements, but only if it did so in line of sight of one of your units that is within 6" of a Farseer. Not bad, but the extra restriction is annoying.
Court of the Young King Biel-Tan - An Aspect Warrior unit gains +2 Charge and re-roll 1s to hit in the Fight Phase. If it's within 6" of the Avatar, it gains +3 instead (And the Avatar give a re-roll to the Charge) and can re-roll all misses in the fight phase. Banshees will almost always reach the combat you want them too with this ability. Having the Avatar nearby is just gravy.
3 Command Points
The Avatar Resurgent - If the Avatar is slain in the Fight Phase, 3 points lets you restore him to d6 wounds. Frustrating for your opponent, but limited. If they shoot the Avatar to death, you can't use this.
Variable Command Points
Treasures of the Craftworld - It looks like every faction will get some variant of this. For 1 points, you get an extra Relic. For 3 points you get an extra two. Not sure how often you will want this. Probably never the 3 point version, but I can see wanting 2 Relics occasionally.
Webway Strike - For 1 point, you can set up one Infantry/Biker unit in Deep Strike. For 3 points, you can set up two. This is worth the 3 points, as it lets you Deep Strike two units that you otherwise wouldn't be able to. Great for getting them to the units they need to kill.
That's Part Three done. Part Four will be the first unit reviews - The HQs.
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