Chaos Daemon on Daemon action...finally

Chaos Daemon on Daemon action...finally

Finally got the elusive Daemon on Daemon action going at the Kapiti Wargames Club against Sam last week. My Nurgle army is still decidedly lacking in Numbers, so I decided to make up numbers with Slanneshi Daemonettes, and Fries. I mean Furies, here we go again with my food preoccupation....

Allowed my personal pride to overcome my need to field the Rot-flies, as they are still a WIP, as is my Cannon of Khorne (Can o' Khorne). I generally avoid to field unfinished models or proxies (just a personal foible)

Skulls for the Khornflake God!

Furies and Daemonettes. The Children of Nurgle were not to be seduced

The new rules certainly throw a few spanners in the works, as did Sam, fielding Great Unclean One, two Cans of Khorne, (or their proxies, as he's still working on 'em) and two Units of Plaguebearers, one being a bunker for Epidemius (sigh) with a champion, command and a Herald; 2 x Free-range Nurgle Beasts, and a unit of 4 Nurgle beasts, and a unit of 3 bloodcrushers. Though I'd indulge him, as we were still findin' out way with the new rules. He's only had 2 games with them, and this was my first...

I ran 30-40 each Khorne Bloodletters, Slaaneshi daemonettes, each with a Herald and Locus, a Tzeench Herald on disc, and a Bloodthirster, Furies as chaff/ diverters. Oh yes, and Karanak with 15 of his Daemondog buddies that ambushed so well that they never turned up for the whole of the game!

Used my Furie fries to block advancement of his plaguebearers and bloodcrushers for one entire round, the first, lol, before being flattened (Bit rusty on the daemon lore, forgot that daemons can't flee as a charge reaction), then he rolled on gifts that summoned a handful of plaguebearers, which he promptly used to block my Daemonettes, sucked them into a useless combat for the rest of the game, flank charged by Gr Unclean One, and they just sat there.

What the?  Hey? Where did they come from?

Cans of Khorne luckily did not do much damage, but I had to charge my Bloodletter into a unit to stop the two infernal machines from shooting at him.

Come on Epidididdaddy! Right here, right now! Don't just sit there counting...

What do you mean you've let the dogs out?  

Not really having much choice I attacked his bunker with my Bloodthirster, hoping to hack my way through to Epidemius. Challenged first by Champion,made mincemeat of him...then Herald, and while all of this was happening his brutishness was side-flanked by a  damn daemon dog, who then also issued a challenge. 

(Don't you just hate that new rule?)

Sucked in, sucked down and overwhelmed by Papa Nurgle..

into a tar-pit of attrition by ranks, from which there was no escape

 My Bloodletter had a snowball's chance.

Lessons: 

1. Don't agree to proxies if you feel strong about WYSIWYG when it comes to compiling your own army.    

    What's good for the goose...is only good for the gander by negotiation.

     (Different though if you're helping a mate prepare/play test an army for tournament.)

2. If you buy hatred for your bloodletters, (via herald) remember to use it.

3. Furies can't feign flight or flee as a charge reaction. No daemons can.

4. Nurgle seems the way to go if you have Epidemius on your shelf (as I do) and enough plaguebearers

5. -1 AP on Daemonettes is useless against Nurgle Daemons (Even with the 2 attacks) Against softer targets I think it may be worth taking them still - Empire/Elves of all description etc - man-strength/toughness creatures in other words.

40K Players: Tau releases coming: Pics and Rumours

40K Players (Not my thing) 

Tau first sneak pics: Razorsharks and Sunsharks, Battlesuits and  Knarloc Kroot Giants:

My son Luc avidly collects Tau (And Ogres in WHFB) It is his birthday tomorrow. 

It is quite fitting that the April White Dwarf features the pre-view for the Tau releases everyone speculated about.Luc will be happy...

Trouble in the Border Provinces is not my vehicle for 40K, but here is link to 

Wargames Obsession

my first blog and now my WW2 page where I have posted more pics 

40K is not my thing, but I'm excited for Luc.

Alas, alack, no Daemon on Daemon action

Alas, alack, no Daemon on Daemon action

After my enthusiastic post about "Pandemonium"  coming last night I got a text from Sam asking if I could give Fern and her Night Goblins a game, as she was preparing for Natcon, and needed more games to practice. 

(Having played against his Daemons a lot, she needed another army to face off against) 

Last night also saw the start of a Mordheim campaign at the Kapiti Wargames Club.

I stood firm, as I have too many things on the boil at the moment, and had resolved not get sucked into Mordheim, much as I love the game. (WHFB Daemons and 20mm Flames of War Armies being built)

From the looks of it everyone was having a grand ol' time. Almost got tempted to join in.

So my Dark Elves stepped up to the mark, and my Daemons continued to languish on the shelf, and the DoC Army Book glowed red-hot in anticipation.All for the common good...

I played my DE list from NZTC with the exception of swapping the Death Hag's Manbane for the Sacrificial Dagger, and both mages running Lore of Shadows this time round. NatCon rules, so limitations of numbers of dice, shooter numbers and number of Hydras.

Took a while for Fern to prise herself from Mordheim, as one of her sons was just having so much fun in the last scenario being played. 

Waiting for her allowed me to continue with my assembly of Rot-flies, so I'm not really complaining.  We finally got underway, and the vagarities of playing greenskins once again added much entertainment. Pretty gutsy on her part,  I think, taking a goblin only army to Natcon. Fielded 4 trolls, 2 doom divers and 2 rock lobbers, 2 mangler squigs, 2 units of bowmen, 2 squig herds, 2 huge phalanxes of spearmen bunkering lvl 4 mage, and characters. I had 2 units of 16 and 15 ea Xbowmen, 30+ bunker of corsiars w my 2 mages, 2 repeater bolt throwers, Dreadlord on Black Dragon w Pendant, Magic Weapon (halberd) and Hydra. 2 units of 6 shades each.

Dang, I do hate mangler squigs and fanatics!. Thank goodness for multiple shot crossbows and DE bolt-throwers.Could have made a real mess of my closely packed units! Only lost a unit of Shades.Nice conversion in the making there!

No significant misfires the whole game. Got dangerously close to taking out my Hydra. Lack of leadership proved a problem, with several failed panic tests and her Goblin General Falling to the Daggers of Death Hag and her retinue. Winds of magic not exceptionally potent throughout the game, and no really spectacular spells getting off. 

Maybe a small exception in casting pit of shades with small template on her large spearman unit.

Gobbos held the Dark Elves pretty well, and may have done more damage if their hordes had got in to swamp the crossbowmen and corsairs earlier. Sea serpent standard and hatred, with an extra attack granted from the Cauldron equates to an absolute hail of attacks. Low Ld on the Gobbos proved to be an achilles heel once the General was gone, and they were out of range of the BSB. 

Failed panic test ? Wonder why. 

(Didn't play any cold ones this game, but this looks suspiciously like Malus Darkblade on Spite)

We finally had to abandon the game at the end of turn 3, (just before 12 midnight)  as time had run out (and brain fatigue was also setting in) Think I won by a narrow margin having killed her General. Very enjoyable game. 

PanDaemonium Tonight: Giving New DoC Armybook a Whirl

PanDaemonium Tonight: Giving New DoC Armybook a Whirl

Daemons on Daemons:

Having been kept from wargaming last week by an unexpected reality check, and dealing with the real Flames of War, I'm now looking forward to finally giving my Daemons of Chaos an outing with the new rules.

Real Pandaemonium??

Hoping to get 2 games in tonight, one on 7th Ed rules to help Sam prepare for NatCon, and one using 8th Ed rules. Should be great fun. Have not had the time to complete my Rot-flies yet, so they won't be gracing the table, but a fist outing for my new heralds of Slaanesh, Nurgle and Khorne is definitely on the cards.

The Lovely Bones: New Daemon Models

The Lovely Bones: Unboxing the New Daemon Models

Ok, here we have them lovely bones: The Chaos Daemon  new sprues:

Rot-Flies (Plague Drones) and the Ring of Fire (Burning Chariot)
Can't wait to get stuck in. Good quality moulding, no flux, no (failcast) flimsy bits. Robust models that will stand up to the rigors of playing.

First up the Plague Drones.

Burning Chariot:

Smorgasbord of New Daemons of Chaos

Smorgasbord of New Daemons of Chaos

I don't know how it happened, but at some point I started referring to my Daemons of Khorne (Corn) in terms of food. Maybe it was the pun on their name. Or something to do with my wife's occupation (Chef); and how I get to paint and model when she's catering for functions over weekends.

Anyhow, my first Khorne army was called the Khornish Nasties
(Pun on Cornish Pastries)

Now I'm working on a Can o' Khorne.  Thinking I'll call my Bloodletters Fritters from now on ("Flitters" cause they move so fast); or am I getting carried away ? Or am I just hungry?

Anyhow, I'm diligently working away on my Deamons.

Bloodthirster looking good, New Herald of Khorne and Nurgle Heralds (Grand Crane from Confrontation ) and Ettin (Unknown manufacturer), Ancient Herald/Wizard of Tzeench on my own disc creation from bitz box and an old model snapped up at the Kapiti Wargames Club Swap Meet in September last year:

Works in Progress one and all:

(I must be hungry, even misspelt that as Woks of Progress)

Confrontation's Grand Crane (Big Skull) 

being transformed into a Herald of Khorne

My Magpie-like avarice at the Swap Meet last year being turned into a Herald of Tzeench on a disc

The rent in the flux of Magic as a new Herald is created attracts a swarm of Skysharks 

and another Herald of the Devious One

 It appears that Tzeench is pleased. For now anyhow.

A new Herald of Slaanesh uncoils her sinuous spite

A twin-headed Nurgle herald bursts forth in his pustulence

Papa Nurgle is well pleased

Daemons of Chaos Book - Finally in hand!

Daemons of Chaos Book - Finally in hand!

At last, finally got my hands on that new Chaos Daemon book. Scanned through last night, will slowly work my way through it over the next few days.

A good read, well thought through, nerfing some of the overpowered units, and really introducing a great element of fun into the Daemons game. I'll probably also bemoan the fact that Fiends have to be in units of 3 now, and that the Masque and Blue scribes has been nerfed. (Thankful I haven't bought the Blue scribes model, nice as it is)

I did invest in the Rot-flies to bolster my nurgle army and the Tzeench Flamer disc. Still have to decide what build will be best.

I really love the element of change and fickleness of magic that has now been introduced to the DoC Armybook. I think it really reflects the nature of the Chaos energy, and how it can buff or damage. Losing a whole unit is not so flash, but I  think it fair given the nature of Chaos energies. It adds the fun element of Greenskins without sacrificing decent WS, S or T.

So I'm looking at my options for tonight's game night at the Kapiti Wargames Club:

(Drat: Still have to build my Rot-flies and Flamer Disc)
Thinking

• Bloodthirster
• Bloodletters with Herald

? Possibly 2 or 3 Juggers (not so sure about this yet)
? or Kharnak and hounds, try ambush rule

• Plaguebearers with herald
• Epidemius

• Herald of Zeentch on disc

? Furies

• Nurgle beasts x 2 

New DoC Army Book: Demonic Instability and Alignment

New DoC Army Book: Demonic Instability and Alignment; New Units

Yet some more info on the new DoC Army Book. Developing some slight instability on my part, as I have not laid my hands on it yet. Will have to wait until tomorrow before I can purchase a copy.

Sam, on the other hand, has already had a game or two with his...

Best I can do is to trawl the internet for snippets:

Daemonic Alignment - 

Splits Daemons  into two different factions:

Individual daemon rules for each god and then the rules affecting allegiance.
Each type of daemon (Khorne, Slaanesh, Nurgle, or Tzeentch) suffers from Hatred for daemons sworn to their nemesis
Khorne vs Slaanesh
Nurgle vs. Tzeentch

Khorne daemons gain +1S on the charge
Tzeentch rerolls ward save results of 1 (and wizards can reroll channeling attempts of 1)
Nurgle daemons have a -1 penalty to hit in combat
Slaanesh retain their armor piercing

BUT  Daemons no longer receive benefit from the general's Inspiring Presence rule or BSB's Hold the Line! rule unless they are of the same allegiance.

Daemonic Instability - Instability works largely the same as before with two big exceptions:

If the unit rolls double ones then all friendly models removed in that phase are restored to the unit they were lost from, as time flickers back to a previous point before they died.

However, if double 6s are rolled then the entire unit is banished.

Reign of Chaos 
Whenever the winds of magic are generated the daemon player consults a chart with the winds of magic dice (the two highest if playing Storm of Magic) and sees how it affects the army.

• High number mean bonuses (new units emerging, +1 to ward saves, etc)

• Low numbers mean penalties (instant instability tests, -1 to ward saves, etc).  

Demonic Gifts
Now Random.  Costs a set number of points for a roll on a specific table (75, 50, or 25).  The effects are random but the daemon may always swap the result for the "0" option just like spells.
None of these abilities are harmful in any manner.

• Examples of each table include:
• Lesser Gifts (Impacts hits, Multiple Wounds (2) ability, ASF, etc), 
• Greater Gifts (+2 Attacks, 2+ Armor, +1 Wound, etc)
• Exalted (+2 Toughness, +3 Strength, extra dispel dice).  
• The 0 options amount to magic items.

Core units 

Bloodletters
Moderate point increase and the loss of a point of strength but gained a 6+ armor save.

Given the frequncy of these units on the tabletop, it's easy to see that GW felt they were a bit undercosted for S5 with killing blow.  So they reduced the strength and raised the point cost.  Now, remember that on the charge they are still S5.  With the new changes they are less of a no-brainer but still useful for overall combat.

Plaguebearers

The core Nurgle daemons saw a small points increase (yay!) and the addition of the daemon of nurgle rule (-1 to hit in close combat). (Double yay!)
They cost less than bloodletters but more than horrors or daemonettes.  The penalty to hit them in close combat is a nice addition that adds to their survivability.  Overall, they are great for anvil or horde units but at WS3 and I 2 they are still not the best fighters. (Awww...)

Pink Horrors
Didn't suffer from a point change or stat changes, Pink Horrors experienced some of the largest changes overall.  First up, they lost their flaming attacks rule.  (Double Awww...)
Retained the ability to cast spells, but they will only ever know a single spell that is rolled for at the start of the game.  Additional ranks of horrors only add to the bonus to cast the spell.  Lastly, horrors gained the blue horror ability.  This rule essentially means that as the unit takes damage in close combat the enemy unit will take more damage the more horrors they kill.

All of these rules tie together to indicate that horrors are probably best run in multiple small units and can actually pose some threat in close combat, particularly with the locus abilities of any attached herald.

Daemonettes - Daemonettes really didn't change much at all other than a small point decrease.
Now, this point decrease does mean that daemonettes are slightly easier to purchase in bulk and with WS5, I 5, and 2A with armor piercing they can cause quite  a bit of damage!

Other noteworthy units 

Beasts of Nurgle
Huge point reduction and moved from the rare section to special.

In addition they can challenge and accept challenges and are daemons of nurgle but are otherwise unchanged.  Run them in units for some nice damage and staying power or run them singularly as an awesome redirect unit and you can't go wrong!

Bloodcrushers - Dropped a little in points, gained a wound, and picked up the scaly skin save that normal bloodletters get.  However, they also lost two points of strength and a point of toughness.  This unit used to be a great glass cannon.  Point it at a unit and it would run over there and kill it and then likely be removed from attrition.  Now it will struggle against just about everything except mediocre infantry, skirmishers, and other things that are already easy to kill.

Flesh Hounds - Dropped in points a tiny bit and, like all Khorne units, lost a point of strength and gained a scaly skin save.  For a modest point investment the unit can purchase the ambush rule which is interesting albeit random (as ambush usually is).  Due to the point adjustments Flesh Hounds are still worth their points and still fill a nice role within the army of hunting down light cavalry, skirmishers, and other nimble but weak units.

Skull Cannon of Khorne - Wow.  So while the rest of the Khorne units got slapped with a pretty big pricing and stat adjustment, the new skull cannon of Khorne is remarkable.  A chariot with a cannon on it that could actually defend itself in close combat.  And heal itself when it charges?  Yup.
All that and this only costs marginally more than a single Empire cannon.(Whee-Hah!)

Plague Drones - VCs received the first flying Monstrous Infantry and now Daemons receive the first flying Monstrous Cavalry.  Stat-wise it's everything you'd except from Nurgle with the added bonus that the flies have S5, W3, A3.  With their toughness and the Nurgle Daemon rule they prove pretty durable given they have little armor save.

Upgrades are interesting with everything from poison for the rot flies to attacks that automatically wound if they hit, and a short ranged shooting attack that is poisoned and does multiple wounds (D3).  Promising as they look like a very convenient method for taking out opposing monsters.  Without upgrades they are cheaper than the skullcrushers too.

Burning Chariot of Tzeentch - For the price of a doomwheel you get a flying chariot that can fire either a fire thrower or grape shot.  In close combat the enemy is looking at nine S4 attacks plus d6+1 impact hits. (Ouch) The only caveats is that these weapons can't stand and shoot and suffer from random strength values (d6 for fire thrower and D6+3 for grapeshot).  Run one of these up the enemy flank and then let loose with a torrent of flame.  Just not the most durable chariots in the Warhammer world (no armor, 5+ ward rerolling results of 1).


Plagiarized from Chronowraith; et al.

Daemon Days

Daemon Days

So the new Daemon Army Book is out. I had planned on getting to Wellington on Saturday to get my copy, but a family crisis intervened. Had to content myself with digging out my DoCs, and dusting off a few half-finished projects:

1. Bloodletter Herald of Chaos.

Using the (now defunct) Confrontation Great Skull (Le Grand Crane), with some conversion

2. Old Bloodthirster (Really, really old model)
Bought one off Trademe, missing Left arm and whip. Have grafted a spare River troll arm on.
Will have to check stats to see as what I'll run him (generic photo)

3. And the Avatars of War Netherhound

All 3 had long been built and undercoated, now sporting first layer of paint after the weekend. Will get WIP pictures.
Painting them to match my Bloodletters, who are painted in an orange and yellow base-coat with a blood wash, drained from my radial artery (NOT)