My plans for a daemons army are pretty extensive. After playing 40K for around 20 years I've come to the conclusion that editions come and go, rules change and a unit that is amazing in one edition may be useless in the next. Therefore I tend to build the army I wish would work, the army I really want, rather than one I feel will be effective for a year or so. In the case of Daemons that means I want a 1500 point army for each of the 4 powers. I've basically split each down into 3 500 point sections with:
SECTION 1: HQ and 1 Troops
SECTION 2: Elites and 1 Troops
SECTION 3: Heavy Support/Fast Attack/Troops in any combination.
Therefore I can take a SECTION 1 from any of the powers, a SECTON 2 from any power (or the same one if I'm feeling purist) and any SECTION 3 and my army is guaranteed 1500 and Force Org. legal.
So what do these sections look like?
KHORNE
SECTION 1
Bloodthirster 250
20 Bloodletters: 1 lesser reward and ALL the other upgrades 245
TOTAL: 495
SECTION 2
Herald of Khorne: lesser reward, locus of wrath 90
20 Bloodletters: 1 lesser reward and all upgrades barring the instrument 235
3 Bloodcrushers: 1 lesser reward and all upgrades barring the instrument 170
TOTAL: 495
SECTION 3
5 Flesh Hounds 80
2 Skull Cannons 250
Soul Grinder: Phlegm 165
TOTAL: 495
I feel this is the weakest of the 4 single power armies as Bloodletters are just too darn killable! If the whole lot could deep strike they'd be viable but as it is I think the long slog across the table (plus overwatch to weather and possibly striking second in combat) will leave precious few models alive in this force post turn 4.
TZEENTCH
SECTION 1
Level 3 Lord of Change: 255
Level 2 Herald of Tzeentch: 70
18 Horrors: Instrument 172
TOTAL: 497
SECTION 2
The Changeling: 75
20 Horrors: ALL upgrades 215
4 Flamers: Pyrocaster 97
4 Flamers: Pyrocaster 97
TOTAL: 484
SECTION 3
Level 2 Herald of Tzeentch: 70
18 Horrors: 162
Burning Chariot: 100
3 Screamers 75
3 Screamers 75
TOTAL: 482
Bombarding opponents with warpflame should be fun (possibly while hiding all but one horror away from retaliation out of line of fire) and there are a fair few anti-tank weapons in section 3 to plug gaps.
NURGLE
SECTION 1
Great Unclean One: Level 2, Greater Reward 235
Herald of Nurgle: Greater Locus (Feel no pain) 70
20 Plaguebearers: Champion, Icon 195
TOTAL: 500
SECTION 2
Herald of Nurgle: Greater Locus (Feel no pain) 70
20 Plaguebearers: Champion, Icon, Instrument 205
4 Beasts of Nurgle 208
TOTAL: 493
SECTION 3
Herald of Nurgle: Greater Locus (Feel no pain) 70
6 Plague Drones:Champion, Icon, Rot Proboscis 302
8 Nurglings 120
Games against Nurgle Daemons have shown me just how hard hey are to kill with those huge cover saves. Imagine Dragons probably said it best:
You need something that can live,
To claim an objective,
It's where my Daemons hide, it's where my Daemons hide.
There's no need to be brave,
With a 2+ cover save,
It's where my Daemons hide, it's where my Daemons hide.
I'll probably split one unit of 20 down into 2 10s to claim more objectives, using the plague drones to drop units off their icon into the opponent's table half to eventually claim his and make some sort of offensive push.
SLAANESH
SECTION 1
Keeper of Secrets: Exalted & Greater Reward 220
Herald of Slaanesh: Exalted Locus, Lesser Reward 85
18 Daemonettes: Champion, Lesser Reward, Instrument, Icon 197
TOTAL: 502
SECTION 2
Level 1 Herald of Slaanesh: Exalted Locus, Lesser Reward 110
20 Daemonettes: Champion, Lesser Reward, Rapturous Standard 215
5 Fiends of Slaanesh 175
TOTAL: 500
SECTION 3
Herald of Slaanesh: Lesser Locus, Lesser Reward, Steed 80
9 Seekers: Champion, Icon 123
Herald of Slaanesh: Lesser Locus, Lesser Reward, Steed 80
9 Seekers: Champion, Instrument, Lesser Reward 133
Seeker Cavalcade: 2 Chariots 80
TOTAL: 496
About as fast as you can get. Plenty of cavalry as an Icon delivery system with some multi-purpose troops to deep strike off that icon. The key will be using psychic powers and fiends to ensure that the daemonettes strike first even if they charge into cover.
Now obviously this is 6000 points of Daemons so next post I'm going to narrow down my choices as to what to take to the 1850 Blog Wars tournament. I have a feeling bringing 6000 points may count as cheating!
Hey there mate,
ReplyDeletethat's a nice aproach on how to build an army. I consider all Sections pretty valuable / balanced, some more, some less.
Personaly I've never been a fan (or rather follower) of Nurgle and Slaneesh, so I'd go with a mix of Khorne and Tzeentch.
The Troops Section of Tzeentch looks solid and also gives you a named special character, so you don't have to worry about that anymore.
Next the FA/HS Section of course gives you more (heavy) firepower, while also opening about some synergy effects due to the Skull cannons assault grenade function.
For the HQ section I'd rather go with Khorne as the Bloodthirster is just a pure mean machine. Also where do you get it, that the Blood Letters can't deep strike? My codex (german version) says they are viable of deep striking... They are sstill vulnerable, but don't have to slog accross the whole table.
For the last 350 point I'd consider some more Flesh hounds. They are fast and flexible and can really make use of the assault grenades from the cannons.
Just my thoughts on your list(s).
Looking forward to see you at BW7! ;-)
Cheers,
Hendrik
Thanks for the Input!
DeleteAlthough SOME of your Bloodletters can deep strike they can't ALL deep strike as you need to have 1/2 of your force on the table. The units left on the table will be pounded in turn 1-2 and possibly wiped out I reckon before the Bloodletters arrive. If as per the previous edition your entire army could deep strike (1/2 arriving in turn 1) They would be more viable.
Tchuss!