Makeda is a troop oriented warlock, and that's where her spells and feat shine. She does have average Fury, and needs at least 2 warbeasts to fuel it, but she doesn't particularly need more than that, especially if the beasts of choice have good range or animus support. She has both offensive and defensive spells, making her a well rounded warlock.

Statline & Abilities

SPD - 6 Mid, 9 “ Charge 12” Run
STR-7- Mid for a Warlock (See Weapons)
MAT – 7-Mid-Able to hit a defense 14 on an average unboosted hit.
RAT- N/A
DEF – 15- Mid for a Warlock
ARM – 16 High for a Warlock. 
Damage-16 Mid for a Warlock
Fury- 6- Mid for a Warlock
Cmd-9 – Mid for a Warlock

Command Authority
You don’t have to worry about losing your leaders, which makes a large difference with Cetrati as they need an order to shield wall….and of course allowing a unit to charge.

Dauntless Aura
No one will be running, and they will immediately rally if they run into Makeda’s 9” command range.

Vivisection
This is the key to Makeda’s strength in melee.  She gains a +1 each time she makes a successful melee attack roll, including the first.  With two free attacks and up to 6 more, that's up to a +8, giving her an effective 20 P+S on her last attack.


Weapons

Swords of Baalash
Makeda has two melee weapons giving her a minimum of 2 attacks and a maximum of 8.  The fact that her first hit is P+S13 and her last hit could theoretically be as high as 20 is impressive by Hordes standards. 


Spells


All of Makeda’s spells cost 2-3 Fury to use, & 2 are upkeep spells.  This allows 4 fury (after  1st turn) for healing or transference. Notably, Carnage will be used quite often so she will effectively have 1 fury left over.  Noting her spells and cost, Makeda is an obvious troop warlock.  She will not have a high need for extra animus, as she probably won’t use a beasts animus over her own spell list. 

Carnage-
As it last one round.  This is a very efficient spell for its cost.  Not only do you have +2 to melee attack rolls during your turn, you have them during your opponents turn, making freestrikes near autohits. 

Defender’s Ward-
+1 DEF/ARM (+2 in Tight) Many will argue which unit this would be best suited to, but none would argue that it is not an excellent spell at the upkeep level.

Savagery-
The most devastating troop spell in the game.  This increases the threat level of a unit to an amazing level.  When you have a Unit on both of Makeda’s flanks, you have multiple target engagement available to you, and auto flanking.  Once the unit engages, it can be dropped for holding more Fury, or extra attacks when Makeda needs them, or for casting it on a different unit. If you do your activation order right, you can have two units benefiting from Savagery.

The Lash-
Makeda’s sole ranged attack the –2 CMD/THR have fairly limited uses and is overshadowed by the usefulness of Carnage for the same fury investment.  The AOE effect could potentially devistate a non-fearless unit if you hit the leader.  For Warbeasts the -2 lasts for 1 round.   POW13 is enough to be able to damage most beast, this may cause a frenzy which effectively limits the opposing warlock fury, transfer and direct guideance of the warbeast.


Feat-Walking Death


The difficulty in using this feat is determining when you are going to take your largest losses. The feat can be used defensively to ‘force’ an opponent to not attack as they would have to do double work killing the troops, giving you effectively a countercharge or counterstrike opportunity. Makeda’s feat is probably best used offensively.  Tie up as many enemy units with your troops as you can, ensuring one of the troopers (preferably the leader) stays out of harms way so you can ensure the models returning.  Remember you can ‘Daisy Chain” the models when they come back to get them further behind enemies.  Also remember, they cannot move the turn they come back.

The feat itself can be a mess if you forget which models returned and can't move, and which models can. You can may use markers (good but time consuming option), or place the models facing backwards (speedier option). You can fix them when its time for the unit to move (make sure your opponent agrees this is acceptable because technically, they can't change facing). Also don't get the models destroyed during the feat round confused with the ones killed before (another common mistake which makes things difficult to sort). Keep in a different area.


Troops/Solo


Makeda’s spells and feat are designed with troops in mind.  She is considered a Troop warlock, so troop selection is paramount.  Also consider that the final list will need some form of heavy hitting power for high armored Troops and Warbeasts. 

Praetorians
An excellent addition to a Makeda list, as well as a low cost point filler.  They can be used to ensure the Ancestral Guardian keeps up with the main force, and can be used as quite a surprising attack force when fueled by Savagery.  If you have Savagery on the Praetorians, keeping them spread out to protect from Strafe and AoE's will also be less of a hindrance when its time to engage. And you can still give them a charge order for the extra damage (for those who have charge lanes, and enough distance). The rest of the Praetorians can weave around to get to a target, and still make their two attacks (or the combo).

Venators
A solid addition to a Makeda list.  With running more troops, you will run less warbeasts, which also removes the potential for high damage output.  Venators can be used to chip away at the beasts making them a ‘softer’ target for troops. Note that Venators benefit the least from Makeda’s spell list, and Feat as they are ranged troops with lower melee abilities.

Cataphract Arcuarii
With a high Mat, reach and Weapon Master the Arcuarii will benefit greatly from Savagery as it gives them an effective 12” ‘charge’. Arcuarii are considered the Hardest hitting unit in order to deal with Heavy Warbeasts and High Armored Troops.

Cataphract Cetrati
Perhaps the most talked about unit in regards to the synergy gained when in a Makeda list.  With Shield Wall, Brutal Charge, and CMA the Cetrati will benefit greatly from Savagery as it give them an effective 12” attack (not like a ‘charge’ as they are not weapon masters) also allowing them to initiate a Shield Wall order giving them a +4 ARM.  Under the effects of Defenders Ward, Cetrati can maximize Shield Wall into ARM 22.

Paingiver Beast Handlers
This unit would be a ‘lower priority’ unit to include with Makeda as she will be focused on using her Warbeasts for fury purposes.

Ancestral Guardian
Knowing full well you will lose troops you are assured the Ancestral Guardian will have souls First, If he has 5 souls he can have the following:
* 13" threat range, one MAT8 12+4d6 attack, three MAT8 12+3d6 attacks
* 9" threat range, one MAT8 12+4d6 attack, four MAT8 12+3d6 attacks
This also does not take into effect his counterstrikes, which under the effects of Carnage gives a base MAT of 10

Warbeasts


Many combinations can be made with Makeda’s spell list and the animus/abilities from Warbeasts.  Since Makeda will run most of her spell list (sans The Lash) each turn, she will not have an opportunity to capitalize on Animus from Warbeasts.  This is not to say warbeasts do not have a place with Makeda, but the fact is that she will use Warbeasts manly as a resource to gain fury.  Two Warbeasts will be optimal for the most part at 500 points, 2 Kreas, a Krea and a Cyclops, or a Krea and one form of ‘Titan’. (See below for reasoning) If you forgo heavy warbeasts for LightsYou might be able to do 2 Kreas and a Cyclops or one Krea and 2 Cyclopes, but that would be pushing it since it doesn't leave a lot of points for units, (you'll have to forgo the rather expensive Cataphract type unit.  At 750 you will want 3 as a safety net for Fury.  Also consider that the final list will need some form of heavy hitting power for high armored Troops and Warbeasts, be it a heavy warbeast, Cataphract, or even CRA Venators

Cyclops Savage
Considered to be one of the best Light Warbeasts in the game due to stats to point cost the Cyclops Savage shines with average damage output and a solid threat range.  The Cyclops is high on the list of Light Warbeasts to take in any list. 

Basilisk Krea
The Krea is arguably one of the best light warbeasts currently in Hordes.  The offensive and defensive combination potentials of Paralytic Aura, Paralytic Field and Spiritual Paralysis with troops coupled with her 4 fury capability makes her a formidable warbeast in a Makeda list.  Having two Krea’s could cover a greater area. And if they each have 3 Fury on them, you can still transfer damage to them.

Basilisk Drake
Stud, Gaze and Impact do not have as many combinations available to them as its sister warbeast the Krea.  When factoring in that for 5 points less you could take a Cyclopes Savage, or 3 points less you could take a Krea, the Drake moves down to being one of the least likely warbeasts to be taken with Makeda.

Titan Gladiator
Brutal and effective in its ways, Its damage output is excellent and it has the capacity of survival and high fury output. Carnage helps him a lot, especially when it comes to getting his Chain Attack to succeed (since it requires 3 successive hits). He makes a powerful counter-charge model and is the only Skorne model that can 2-handed Throw (a very useful ability, especially in tournament scenarios). Subdue is an excellent animus to have as everyone around the Titan can benefit from its denial capabilities.  A Titan will have a difficult time keeping up with a troops force without a unit of Paingiver Beast handlers to Enrage it.  This effectively makes this a 145-161 point model. 

Titan Cannoneer
With its ranged AOE attack this heavy does not suffer the same problems as the Titan in keeping up in order to be effective.  With 4 Focus you can use this beast up to its potential and always be able to pull all of the fury off of it.  The Diminish animus is solid for its cost and  can has high level interaction with Makeda's feat.  A wall of infantry that effectively have +3ARM in melee and will come back to life if you don't kill them all is intimidating.

Minions
Makeda’s spell list and feat are all ‘Target Friendly Skorne’ so minions will not benefit from Madeda as much as Skorne Troops/Solo’s would.  This does not mean they are not useful or have no place, it just something to consider when adding Minions to the army.

Totem Hunter
Totem Hunter can make an unexpected combination if you combine The Lash with his Cry of the Hunter.  The AOE effect could potentially devistate a non-fearless unit if you hit the leader, then follow up with Cry of the Hunter at –2 CMD.  Since this is an ‘expensive’ combo (35 point model, 3 fury, plus possible boosting to hit/kill) It may be down on the list of models to include in the lower point games.

Farrow Brigands
Since they are a non-Skorne troop type, they will not benefit from Makeda’s spell/feat.  The points investment doesn’t match up with Skorne troops you could take. I don’t see Farrow Brigands making a Madeda list.

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew
Swamp Gobbers are a great ‘point filler’ unit that can provide a pretty big benefit combined with Defender's Ward.  In addition, they can give some denial capabilities with their Cloud effect.

 

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