New Chaos Daemon Codex List & Analysis: Part 3 (Chaos Space Marine Allies)

After the nonsense that was fine tuning the Chaos Space Marine/Daemon list of the last few months, I really feel like just having a good time. I enjoyed my list, it played how I liked and allowed me to come from behind to win in many circumstances. Honestly though, it wasn't fun for many of my opponents. At the GT last weekend my round two opponent only had two models left after my second turn (vendetta and a wolf priest) and my third round opponent only had three models left after my third turn (three ork flyers).  I quickly realized it was not a list to bring to friendly games, and if the new codex wasn't just released I would bring it to local tournaments either. While I had fun, if I bring a list to a tournament where we both are having fun, then it will be more enjoyable for the both of us. On top of this, 6th edition is way too rock-paper-scissors right now to rely on a list. A bad draw on the wrong mission makes any amount of mathhammer and playtests void. All we can rely on the "competitive" 40K is skill. I like to think I have some of that, and learning more with every game I play, but since the list matter less now than it ever has I think it is a great time to start having fun in the hobby. This was my teams philosophy when we finally built our list for the Adepticon team tournament. we thought about adding wraiths to our necron players list, but then we said it would be more fun to have a second C'Tan. Yes, it is going to be that much fun.

Speaking of fun, I tested out the daemon list with the Al'Rahem blob, and it was a good time. I spent the night after playing it dreaming of whether I would go for a nurgle-look blob or if I would pick up some dreamforge eisenkern models for a more clean look. I kept looking through the book and reading other's thoughts though and kep fitting new things in, things that pushed the guard out. Sometimes my nidzilla genes act up and I get a lust for flying monstrous creatures. I made a list that had nine juggernauts and four khorne heralds on juggernauts, I couldn't contain the coolness of it. Plus, with the number of conversions I already need to do before Adepticon, building and painting a guard blob is probably a bad idea. So without further build, here is my fun daemon list;



Herald of Slaanesh (Greater Reward/Exalted Loci)
Herald of Khorne (Exalted Reward/Juggernaut)
Herald of Khorne (Juggernaut)
Herald of Khorne (Juggernaut)
Daemon Prince (Nurgle/Armor/Wings/Lvl 3/2 Greater Rewards)
10 Plaguebearers
10 Plaguebearers
20 Seekers
13 Furies

Daemon Prince (Tzeentch/Armor/Wings/Lvl 3/Black Mace)
10 Cultists
Heldrake

The khorne heralds run with the furies, creating a unit that compared to others in the list is a lower threat priority, but if ignored means bad news, especially because once I hit their lines it can split up the heralds and go for different targets, acting as part of my answer to MSU. Their exalted reward is typically the grimoire, which is given to whoever needs it most (which depends on my opponent's deployment and reaction to my list), but can be the portal if I feel I will need it (against dragons in a high objective/non-KP game for example). The slaanesh herald runs with the seekers, and due to her loci hunts down warlords and important characters (like like librarians in blob squads). From my past four games I know this squad is a huge fire magnet, and really protects the rest of the list. I am interested to see how the other units in this list effect target priority by my opponents.

The nurgle prince will drop one of his gifts for the balesword in games against multiwound models, as instant death from a deamon prince is silly. I can't wait to run through trygons like a knife in hot butter. He also loads up on biomancy and hopes for the best. The 3+ on a jink thanks to shrouding is great too. The tzeentch prince aims to get lodged in a blob and work his black mace magic. His two non-tzeentch powers will also be biomancy, hoping to roll iron arm or endurance. Heldrake does as heldrake pleases.

I should be able to get the list on the table over the next few nights and will report back my findings.