Artisans of Torment: the damage-amplifier formation (AoS 4th Ed)
A Hedonites battle formation that adds Attacks against already-damaged enemies, rewarding a soften-then-strike sequence.
SprueSentry strategy commentary for Age of Sigmar 4th edition, not official rules. Games Workshop updates points and rules regularly — always confirm against the current official rules and your latest dataslate before a game.
Artisans of Torment turns Slaanesh's cruelty into extra output: your units gain additional Attacks against enemy units that are already damaged, so you soften a target and then pile in for a magnified follow-up. This is a general AoS 4th edition summary (June 2026 battletome); verify the exact bonus, which units and weapons qualify, and the "damaged" condition against your current battletome before relying on it.
What the formation does
It adds Attacks to your units when they fight enemy units that are already damaged, converting chip damage into a much larger second wave. The reward scales with your ability to reliably wound a target first, then commit your hitters. Confirm the size of the bonus and the exact "damaged" trigger on the current battletome.
Who it suits
Players who want a more offensive, combat-forward Slaanesh list and are comfortable sequencing damage - shooting or a first unit to soften, then the hammer to cash in the bonus.
Key units
- Daemonettes and other high-attack infantry that multiply hard when they get extra Attacks
- Blissbarb Archers or chip-damage sources to reliably "open" a target first
- Sigvald and hard-hitting heroes to convert a softened unit into a kill, boosted by crit support
When to pick it
Pick it when your list can consistently deal a little damage before the main swing, and into opponents whose key units you can chip and then overwhelm. It is weaker if you can't reliably damage a target before committing your attackers.
Common questions
What counts as a 'damaged' enemy for Artisans of Torment?
Generally an enemy unit that has already lost wounds or models, which is the trigger for the extra Attacks. The precise definition and the exact bonus can change with errata, so confirm the wording on your current battletome.
Does the bonus stack with crit and attack buffs?
The formation is designed to layer with the army's crit (2 Hits) and +1 Attack effects for a big spike, but interactions and caps depend on current rules. Check how modifiers combine in the latest battletome and core rules before assuming a total.
- Hedonites of Slaanesh - Wahapedia (AoS 4th edition rules reference) · 2026
- Hedonites of Slaanesh Battletome Review (2026) - Sprues & Brews · 2026-06-20
- Succumb to Temptation with Hedonites of Slaanesh - Warhammer Community · 2026
- The World Champion on the new Hedonites of Slaanesh battletome - Warhammer Community · 2026
- 4th Edition Faction Review: Hedonites of Slaanesh - Woehammer · 2024-07-18
Written by SprueSentry with SprueSentry editorial (hand-authored, research-grounded), grounded in the cited sources — original commentary, not Games Workshop rules text.