The humble, hard-working Hearthkyn, our basic troop choice - sorry, that's battleline now. How does it measure up against the basic units of some other factions in 10th edition?
Before we get started, note that this comparison isn't super-useful - the value of a unit is often more in how it synergizes with the rest of the codex (or index in this case), than in straight comparisons of points and values.
Also, some factions have an enormous amount of battleline troops. In such cases, we'll try to pick one that's both fairly "standard" and similar to Hearthkyn in some way.
We'll compare the squads on four criteria:
- Tactical, measuring movement, threat range, objective control and similar rules, as well as rules that buff other units or the like.
- Resilience, looking at toughness, saves, wounds, etc.
- Offence, looking at the ability to kill or hinder enemy models.
- Cost, looking at point cost per model.
In the first three categories, 1 points is given for a slight edge, 2 for a significant advantage and 3 for an overwhelming advantage. In the last category, the difference in points per model is awarded to the cheaper option.
With that out of the way though, lets get into it!
Hearthkyn VS Aeldari
Battleline choices for craftworlds are Guardian Defenders, Storm Guardians, Corsair Voidreavers - and in some cases Harlequin Troupes. We'll disregard the Storm Guardians and troupes, as they are predominantly melee oriented and not easily comparable to Hearthkyn. The Voidreavers are somewhat similar to the Hearthkyn in that they can take some weapon options, but the guardian defenders also have their heavy weapon platform. It's a bit of a toss up, so we'll go with the Guardian Defenders as they're likely to be the more common choice.
In the Tactical category, guardian defenders have 2" more movement, better leadership and the ability to help buff your army simply by existing. Their standard gun has shorter range than many of the Hearthkyn guns, but sometimes the Hearthkyn will take guns with that same range. The heavy weapons have much better range than anything the Hearthkyn can bring. The hearthkyn give sticky objectives, which is great, and can technically help refund CP, which hardly ever comes up. Movement is king in 40k, and the buff the defenders give to the eldar army is amazing, so we'll give an overwhelming advantage to the Guardian Defenders for 3 points.
Resilience-wise, the two squads have the same save, and the defenders have 2 more wounds in the unit due to the weapons platform. The hearthkyn have 2 points better toughness, and T5 vs T3 is a very significant difference. They also have a 4++ invulnerable save on one model, and a 6+++ feel no pain - these together are probably about as valuable as the two extra wounds of the defenders. Toughness is the major difference here, and gives a major advantage to the hearthkyn for 2 points. (One might argue overwhelming, but the truth is that even with T5, anti-infantry guns usually have a high enough number of shots that the hearthkyn still die very quickly.)
In the killing category (remember that range is taken into account in Tactical), the guardian defenders hit on 3s, while the hearthkyn hit on 4s (and 5s for their best weapons). The hearthkyn can easily get a +1 to hit however, but the guardian defenders have a built-in rerolls to hit and wound which will be used for the significant weapon. Shuriken catapults land somewhere between Bolters and Blasters in efficiency, but the number of shots combined with a point of AP means they feel a sliiiight bit better. But the hearthkyn ignore cover. The guardian defenders don't give up any basic guns to get special attacks. Before we look at heavy weapons and melee, the edge is probably slightly in the defenders favor. For heavy weapons, the eldar choices look superior due to better hit rates, and usually better AP, strength or other factors. Votann get two such weapons though. Again, the edge is slightly towards the defenders. In melee, votann hit worse but harder, and have access to melee weapons (although at cost to their shooting). The edge is probably slightly towards the votann unit there, but it is close. We'll rate this category as a slight advantage to the Guardian defenders, for 1 point.
Points-wise, the edge goes to guardian defenders, giving them 2.5 points in the Cost category.
The result is Defenders 6.5 vs Hearthkyn 2. Eldar have better basic troops.
Hearthkyn VS Necrons
Necrons have two battleline choices, Warriors and Immortals. As necrons want to use as large squads as possible to maximise their ressurection protocols, the Immortals are probably the closest in function to the Hearthkyn due to squad sizes. They also have more comparable weapon ranges. So lets look at Immortals.
Tactically, movement, leadership and OC is the same. Immortals can be taken in smaller squads, which is useful, though Hearthkyn also sort-of get this advantage if they are taken with Sagitaurs. Weapon ranges are very similar, 18 or 24. Hearthkyn get sticky objectives and very rarely refund a CP, which will be the tiebreakers here. Hearthkyn can also be said to operate a tiny bit more independently than immortals, who ideally want to act with characters and reanimators, we'll say this along with sagitaurs evens out the "take as 5s"-advantage of the immortals. In all, a slight advantage for 1 point to the hearthkyn.
Defensively, Toughness and Wounds are the same, Immortals have 1 point better save against the Thayn invuln and 6+++ feel no pain of the hearthkyn. Hearthkyn also more often benefit from cover. Reanimation protocols is the big deal though, and with that the Immortals have a clear edge, for 2 points.
Offensively, Immortal guns are just better than the Hearthkyn ones. Gauss blasters have lethal hits, higher strength and better AP than bolters, and probably beats Ion blasters in most scenarios as well. But the biggie is that Immortals hit on 3+. Sure, Hearthkyn can get +1 to hit, but Immortals also get this very easily. More easily, in fact. And while Hearthkyn ignore cover, Immortals get rerolls to wound. The special weapons of the Hearthkyn do little to even this out, we count this as an overwhelming advantage to the Immortals for 3 points.
Cost-wise, Hearthkyn win, but only by 0.5 points.
This matchup ends with Immortals 5 - Hearthkyn 1.5
Hearthkyn VS Space Marines
What battleline choice should we look at among the space marines? The two most standard choices seem to be Intercessors and Tactical Squads, and both can be remarkably similar to Hearthkyn. But the heavy and special weapon options on the Tactical Squad makes them more similar than the Intercessors, so we'll go with them.
Tactically, the tactical marines have 1" higher movement and the same OC per model, and the squad sizes are the same. The marines have better leadership. Basic weapon range is pretty much the same, but the Tactical Marines having access to 36" and 48" heavy weapons such as the heavy bolter and lascannon means they have a much greater threat range than the hearthkyn. And the tactical marines can fall back, shoot and charge for free. The hearthkyn can help refund CPs used on them, but you'll rarely want to spend CP on them so we will largely disregard that. However, the sticky objectives special rule of the hearthkyn is useful in some scenarios and could help win games occasionally. We'll grant the Tactical Marines 2 points for a clear advantage in this category, as movement and range is highly valuable, while the Hearthkyn advantages are very situational.
For Resilience, the hearthkyn have a better Toughness, T5 is a great break point to be at for basic infantry. The 3+ save of the tactical marines is actually a fairly small benefit compared to the 4+ of the hearthkyn, due to the way cover works now and the increased amount of AP0 guns in the game. The hearthkyn have an advantage in a 4++ invulnerable save on their thane and their 6+++ feel no pain from the medic, which also helps make up for the difference in basic armor save. But, crucially, the marines have 2 wounds per model instead of 1. Against damage 2 weapons this doesn't matter, but basic troops are most likely taking a lot of damage 1 hits even if everyone always come prepared to fight space marines. Again, we'll give tactical marines a clear advantage in this category for another 2 points.
For killyness, the first thing to note is that marines hit on 3+ (or 4+ for the heavier weapons) while hearthkyn hit on 4+ (or 5+ for the heavier weapons). Sure, hearthkyn can fairly easily get +1 to hit, but tactial marines can very easily get rerolls, so we'll disregard that. (The same goes for wounds.) Bolters of the hearthkyn and the tactical marines have the exact same profile otherwise. The Hearthkyn can take Blasters instead, but they aren't much killier. For heavy weapons, both units have access to very good weapons (remember that we scored weapon range in the tactical category), not making a clear difference. The Hearthkyn ignore cover, which is surprisingly useful in 10th edition. In melee, however, the marines are clearly better, with twice as many attacks. The melee profiles and especially the better hit rates mean the tactical marines have a clear advantage here as well. A clear advantage, 2 points.
What about cost? The advantage is to the hearthkyn, at 4 points per model.
In total, the tactical marines get 6 points to the hearthkyns 4 in our scoring system. We would take tactical marines every time, given the option.
Intermezzo: Are they really THAT bad?
Our scoring system may be at fault here. Perhaps we're overvaluing the points value of the various things we're looking at. But it does feel like we are overcosted. Of course, we have been looking at three of the strongest factions in 10th edition at this point, and part of their strength is efficiently pointed troops. We'll look at some of the weaker factions in a bit.
But another thing to consider is the way Hearthkyn interact with Sagitaurs. Smaller squads are generally better unless you have significant unit-specific buffs (and we don't, really). And there is the price and strength of the transport to consider. A squad of hearthkyn and a sagitaur becomes 3 units for 255 points. In comparison, a tactical squad in a Rhino are 260 point for 2 units. Furthermore, the sagitaur is significantly better than a Rhino in almost all ways. Sure, it can't transport the whole squad (nor do you want it to in most cases), but its guns are way better and it is more durable. It even has better OC. Given the choice, would I take a Tactical Squad in a Rhino OR a Hearthkyn squad with a Sagitaur? Personally I'd want the votann combo.
What about the eldar? A wave serpent outshines the Sagitaur like the Sagitaur outshines the Rhino, and a serpent with a defender squad comes in at... 230 points? Okay, eldar are broken.
Necrons! Immortals can't go in Ghost Arks, so you'd have to take a Night Scythe at 145 points, for a total package of 285 points. I'd rate the scythe about as valuable as a Sagitaur (although in a very different way), but the combination is more expensive by 30 points. The Immortals would still come out ahead in the comparison, but the difference is smaller.
It looks very much like Hearthkyn are pointed to be a tax on taking Sagitaurs. The same is likely true for the Berserks, although I haven't done the math on that.
Putting that aside for a moment, lets have a look at some other less fortunate factions, to see if the Hearthkyn can hold their own there.
Hearthkyn VS Ad-mech
The adeptus mechanicus are considered to be really bad right now at the beginning of 10th, even worse than Votann supposedly, so lets try comparing ourselves to them. They have two battleline units, Rangers and Vanguard. The difference between them isn't too great, so lets just look at the rangers.
Tactically, Skitarii Rangers have 1 higher movement, a scout move. Both they and the hearthkyn give sticky objectives and have the same rule for refunding CP. Everything else is the same for these purposes. The rangers also have much better range on their guns than the Hearthkyn. In all, this is a clear advantage to the rangers, for 2 points.
Defensively, the rangers have much worse toughness and worse saves. They do have a 6++ invulnerable save, but that is usually worse than the 6+++ feel no pain of the Hearthkyn. The Hearthkyn also have the 4++ on the thayn. This is an overwhelming advantage to the Hearthkyn, for 3 points.
Offensively, both units ignore cover. Both units hit on 4s mainly, with situational +1s to hit. The situational +1 to wound of the votann is evened out by the equally situational improved AP of the admech. So lets just look at the guns. The basic gun of the rangers, the galvanic rifle, has the same stats as a votann bolter. Okay, what about special weapons? Both factions have good guns, but the rangers get 3 of them in the squad against the Votanns 2. In melee, however, the Hearthkyn simply hits harder. I can't say there's any points either way in this category. It's a tie.
Cost-wise, the Rangers win, for 1 point.
The result is a tie, 3-3. It should be noted that the Vanguard probably beat the Hearthkyn by a hair, simply because they are much cheaper and would fare almost equally in the comparison.
If we add in transports? The dunerider is less tough but has two more wounds than the sagitaur, transports the whole squad and has 1 less OC. It has a pretty good gun, though the sagitaurs armaments are probably better. And the sagitaur splits a squad, of course, which is good. I'd rate the sagitaur slightly better, but not very much. But the dunerider is only 80 points.
So in the end we're beaten by Admech as well.
Hearthkyn VS Death Guard
Last one. How do we fare against deathguard? Plague Marines are their only battleline.
Tactically, we have the same speed and objective control. Plague marines have better leadership. Both have sticky objectives. Hearthkyn can technically refund CPs, although it never comes up. A very slight edge to the plague marines due to leadership, for 1 point.
Defensively, we have the same toughness, otherwise the situation is the same as for tactical marines. The toughness-difference means the situation is even worse for the Hearthkyn here, but we'll play it conservatively and only give the plague marines 2 points.
Offensively, the plague marines don't ignore cover, and get special weapons that are slightly worse than those of the Hearthkyn. Their basic weapons are the same. But, crucially, they hit on 3s. Now, the +1 to hit and wound that the votann sometimes get are strictly better than the sickness of the deathguard, but hitting on 3s is still huge. We'll call it a slight advantage to the plague marines for 1 point.
Points wise, it's a whooping 6.5 points in favor of the Hearthkyn.
Result? Hearthkyn 6.5 - Plague Marines 4.
At least we're able to beat the worst faction in the game.
Luck has, Need keeps, Toil earns. We havent' been lucky here, so we'll have to work for it.
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