40k: Chaos Daemons Codex Review – HQ
Part one of many parts of the Chaos Daemon codex review from Imperius Dominatus kicks off with the HQ. Lets be having it.
Bloodthirster
The Bloodthirster is the ultimate badass and now fits the background of ass kickery with a profile worthy of skull crushing; the ‘Thirster is WS10 BS10 S6 T6 W5 I9 A6 LD9 SV3+ all for 250 points.
The Bloodthirster comes with a Lash of Khorne (assault 1 S6 AP2) and an Axe of Khorne (AP2 wound to roll of 6+ inflicts instant death). Don’t forget this dude can fly as well.
You can take 50 points worth of daemonic rewards in any combination: lesser rewards, greater rewards and exalted. Note that these rewards are like psychic powers and are randomly rolled for. You can of course switch them for a ‘primaris’ reward if you do not like the result. I would probably take greater rewards as they offer some great benefits i.e +1 wound, it will not die, feel no pain, re-roll invulnerable saves, S8 AP1 lance weapon, armourbane and fleshbane – plenty of juicy bonuses the greater rewards are only 20 points each.
Note that the Bloodthirster can make Daemon Princes who have the Daemon of Khorne upgrade a heavy support choice instead of HQ choice.
Summary
The Bloodthirster is an expensive animal but is well worth the cost. In close combat the Bloodthirster is going to maul basic troops with ease and chop up characters in challenges. Don’t forget that the ‘Thirster gets furious charge as it is a daemon of Khorne.
If you want to make the Bloodthirster even more bad ass then take the Blade of Blood, this gives the rampage rule and the Bloodthirster will gain additional D3 attacks if there’s more enemy models in combat than it.
Rating: 8/10
Lord of Change
The Lord of Change is pretty much same profile as the Bloodthirster (which is funny as you’d thought the ‘Thirster would be stronger), though doesn’t have as good a WS, BS, I and A. It does cost 20 points less though.
You can also have daemonic rewards, which the greater rewards are probably best considering the LoC only has a 5+ inv, though can re-roll 1’s when saving as it is a daemon of Tzeentch. In addition the daemon of Tzeentch rules gives +3 to LD when using psychic powers, though the giant daemon bird is LD9 anyway, but that extra bonus is always welcome.
The LoC (Lord of Change) is a flying monstrous creature and is a mastery level 2 psyker, you can pay 25 points and make it a mastery level 3. LoC can use divination and change disciplines. The change discipline is unique for Tzeentch Daemons and as you can guess is all shooting based. The bad news about these shooting powers is all have this silly warpflame rule; if the enemy unit suffers an unsaved wound, then the unit must take a toughness test, if it passes it gains feel no pain (this stacks)! If failed the unit suffers D3 wounds no armour or cover saves.
Here’s the powers:
Flickering Fire of Tzeentch – 24″ S5 AP4 assault 2D6, soul blaze – you can use 1,2 or 3 warp charge points to use this power, for each warp charge point you use you add an extra D6 – so 3 warp charge points would fire 4D6 shots! Add in prescience and that re-roll armour save one from divination and you’re laughing.
Tzeentch’s Firestorm – 24″ SD6+1 AP- assault 1, blast
Bolt of Tzeentch – 24″ SD6+4 AP2 assault 1
Infernal Gateweay – 18″ SD6+4 AP1 assault 1, blast
Like the Bloodthirster, Lord of Changes makes Princes with the daemon of tzeentch upgrade heavy support choices.
Summary
Personally I do not think the standard Tzeentch powers are that good and find them very unreliable. Taking a big ass Daemon with a 5+ inv save costing 255 points just to fire a crap load of S5 shots is a bit much. Sure there’s some good divination powers i.e prescience and some other powers, though you are hoping you get good luck. If you add in greater rewards this Daemon-Chicken gets more survivable, but costs a lot more points – you’re talking close to 300 points!
Rating: 5/10
Great Unclean One
I believe the GuO’s (Great Unclean One) points have increased in the new Chaos Daemons codex. You get a not so good shooty but more wounds LoC for 190 points.
The GuO does have poisoned attacks (wounds on a 4+), handy for those re-rolls against weaker stuff and against other monstrous creatures. The GuO is also a psyker, you can upgrade to mastery level 3 for 25 points a level. You can take powers from biomancy and plague disciplines. Here are the plague powers:
Stream of Corruption – template S- AP3 assault 1, poisoned (4+)
Plague Wind – 12″ S1 AP2 assault 1, large blast, poisoned (4+)
Miasma of Pestilence – blessing which targets the psyker. Start of each fight sub-phase roll a D3, all enemy units locked in close combat with the target suffer penalties to weapon skill and initiative equal to the result.
Rancid Visitations – nova power with 12″ range. Enemy unit takes a toughness test and if fails suffers a wound with no armour or cover saves. If an enemy model is slain the unit must continue to take a toughness test and suffer wounds until test is passed or unit is destroyed.
You can also take the daemonic rewards, once again I suggest greater rewards, which will make the GuO very tough to tackle.
Like all Greater Daemons, the Great Unclean One can make Daemon Princes heavy support if they have the daemon of Nurgle upgrade.
Summary
The Great Unclean One can be a serious tough cookie if given the right powers and daemonic rewards, perhaps take the template standard plague power and then two powers from biomancy (hope for iron arm and endurance, if not smite is fine as can fire two weapons) and then throw on greater rewards. Deep strike the GuO down and mooch into combat and trash infantry.
Rating: 7/10
Keeper of Secrets
The Keeper of Secrets (KoS) is the last of the Greater Daemons and also the cheapest. It has +1 initiative over the Bloodthirster, though rest of it’s profile is about same as the LoC. The KoS costs 170 points.
As the KoS is a daemon of Slaanesh it has the fleet rule and can run an additional 3″ (remember the KoS is a single unit model).
You can take daemonic rewards and as the previous Greater Daemons the greater reward is probably the better one.
As standard the KoS is a mastery level 1 psyker, you can make it a mastery level 3. The KoS can generate powers from the telepathy and excess disciplines. Here are the excess powers:
Lash of Slaanesh – 24″ S6 AP- assault 1, rending
Acquiescence – malediction which targets enemy unit within 18″. Unit suffers -5 to initiative and cannot use counter-attack or overwatch.
Pavane of Slaanesh – focused witchfire 24″. Model must take a leadership test, if it fails no armour or cover saves. If target is slain randomly select another model in the unit, continue to do this until leadership test is passed or unit is destroyed.
Cacophonic Choir – nova 12″. Each target unit must rolled 2D6 and subtract leadership, unit suffers number of wounds equal to difference with no armour or cover saves. Units must take a pinning test.
Summary
As the Keeper of Secrets is pretty damn quick and Daemons are a horde army now, I can see the KoS being a popular choice. If you roll well on the telepathy table you could get invisibility (take an extra mastery level), add this with those greater rewards and you have a tough fast monster coming your way.
Rating: 7/10
Daemon Prince
Ok, the Daemons Daemon Prince is the same as the CSM Daemon Prince and costs the same points, 145 points!
You have to upgrade the Prince to be a daemon of one of the four gods, this costs 10-25 points. If you’re going foot I would consider the Slaanesh daemon as this can make your Prince pretty quick. If you want a super psyker then go Tzeentch. Nurgle and Khorne are interesting, especially for flyers.
You can give the Prince wings (becomes flying monstrous creature), warp forged armour (3+ armour save), 50 points of daemonic rewards and up to mastery level 3 psyker. If a psyker can generate powers from the respective disciplines.
Summary
I keep looking at the Daemon Prince and shaking my head, why G.W, why? Doesn’t G.W like selling Daemon Prince models or something? The only decent way I can think to run the Prince is on foot or flying and take the 3+ armour save along with daemon of Slaanesh or daemon of Nurgle; these give the best survivability options while Slaanesh gives speed to get into close combat. The standard Nurgle power may be useful, without a psyker upgrade I can’t see what the Prince is going to do besides beat face in close combat or tackle flyers with the lash of despair.
Rating: 4/10
Herald of Khorne
For 55 points you get this little angry red dude of choppy death and he isn’t too bad.
Take some daemonic gifts and you can get something extremely hard to kill, or something which offers some interesting benefits, though I wouldn’t say they are a must have.
More interestingly the HoK (Herald of Khorne) can take three loci, these range from 10-25 points and unlike the daemonic rewards they are set in what they do – this makes Heralds very attractive. You can get adamantium will, rage and also hatred special rules – these effect the unit the Herald is with. Rage and hatred would be very useful in a unit of Khorne Daemons.
You can also take a Juggernaut, which maybe is an option as the Herald becomes T5 and cavalry. You can take a Bloodthrone which is an av12-12-10 3 hull point open topped vehicle. If the Bloodthrone causes an unsaved wound from hammer of wrath attacks, then on a 4+ it can re-gain a single hull point. Note that daemon of khorne models are S7 when doing hammer of wrath. Also the loci rule extends 6″. Though the chariot does cost 75 points which is a lot considering what you get.
Summary
Not too bad to boost some Bloodletters with the loci abilities. Some of the rewards maybe useful, particularly if you roll well on the daemonic reward and get it will not die, especially if you have a chariot.
Rating: 6.5/10
Herald of Tzeentch
This little guy is only 45 points and is also a mastery level 1 psyker.
You can take the daemonic rewards, though I am not sure if they will be useful for the HoT (Herald of Tzeentch), though a mutating warp blade from under the greater daemonic gifts maybe interesting. You can make up to a mastery level 3 psyker though.
You can take one of three loci which can give you; when a model is slain add D3 Blue Horror counters; roll a D6 at start of turn and all models switch this for their strength; +1 strength to all hits caused by psychic powers.
The HoT can take a disc of tzeentch or a burning chariot. The disc gives +1 attack and also makes the Herald become a jetbike. The chariot is av10-10-10 open topped and also a fast vehicle, which for 50 points costs a lot and you do not get a lot in return.
Summary
Rating: 7/10
Herald of Nurgle
The Herald of Nurgle costs the same points as the Herald of Tzeentch and is a tough dirty cookie.
Usual daemonic gift options, I would consider greater rewards as the balesword isn’t too bad though the greater etherblade is nice. You still have the nice greater reward options as well.
You can make the HoN (Herald of Nurgle) a mastery level 2 psyker, I would consider a mastery level 1 and take that AP3 template power.
Loci options are; to hit rolls in close combat of a 6+ are poison 2+; all models have feel no pain; to hit rolls of a 6+ in close combat immediately causes additional S4 poisoned (4+) hit.
You can take a palanquin which gives +2 wounds and +1 attack.
Summary
A mastery level 2 HoN on a palanquin with the loci gift which gives feel no pain would be very nice at tarpitting units in the back field i.e objective holding units, Devastators, Long Fangs etc. Also brilliant for boosting survival rates of Plaguebearers.
Rating: 7/10
Herald of Slaanesh
Ok, last of the Heralds and the Herald of Slaanesh also costs a cheapo 45 points.
You can take the normal daemonic rewards, the lash of torment is interesting (2D6 shots) and of course the greater rewards are always nice.
You can make the HoS into a mastery level 2, might be useful, though most powers in the excess discipline are a bit average.
Loci abilities are; move through cover; +5 to initiative; re-roll to hit in combat plus challenges cannot be refused and can only be accepted by model’s of the Daemon player’s choice.
You can also take a Steed or options for either of the Slaanesh chariots. The exalted chariot maybe worth it (costs 80 points) as the shredder wargear on it inflicts D6 S4 hammer of wrath with rending rule for each hull point is has; the chariot has 4 hull points and is av11-11-10.
Summary
Not a too bad Herald. You could take a nice greater reward (greater etherblade +1 strength AP2) and then take the loci which means no refusing challenges and if you fancy it throw the HoS onto a chariot and start doing a billion hammer of wrath attacks with the rending rule.
Rating: 7/10
Closing Thoughts
The Daemon Prince has got the sad end of the stick and is probably the worst HQ in the book. It’s a real shame as it is a cracking model plus I just brought one. The only useful setup I can think of is daemon of slaanesh and 2 x greater rewards, take the lash of despair for one greater reward add wings and go flyer hunting.
Lord of Change is unreliable due to strength of powers and gives feel no pain. This applies to the Herald of Tzeentch too, but this guy costs a lot cheaper. The rulebook powers are nice, but are those benefits worth the points tag of the giant daemon chicken?
Keeper of Secrets would fit nicely with Daemons as they have gone the foot route now and will fit in chariot lists.
The Bloodthirster is the most killy Greater Daemon, though the Great Unclean One isn’t far behind and probably might be harder to kill if you get some good psychic powers and greater daemonic rewards.
Out of the Heralds a Herald of Slaanesh seems the most interesting on a chariot along with the Herald of Tzeentch on a disc. HoS can zoom up and mash things up in close combat, is basically a Rhino with four hull points while a HoT can zoom about and blast side armour of vehicles, just hope you roll well for strength if using Tzeentch powers!
That’s the HQ units done and dusted. What are your thoughts on the Chaos Daemons HQ units?
