Goatboy’s 40k – Tetradageddon!
Goatboy here to show you how to shake up your local playgroup with everyone’s favorite Chaos Daemon RockBand – The Tetrad!
Goatboy here for another lovely week of lack luster 40k releases. I am happy we have some FAQ to wait for as right now it feels pretty barren in the dry lands that is the 40k universe. Rumors, chatter, and other bits and pieces have me hoping for a kick butt end of summer – but right now all we have is some cool, but expensive plastic kits. This of course leads me to thinking about how to utilize the Daemonic Tetrad as while I do love some some marine combos I really miss the heck out of my Flying Circuit lists. I think it is because I’ve painted/converted/summoned so many dang plastic Daemon Princes that it has become my favorite go to build/paint/relax unit. I haven’t done one in awhile but I got a buddy asking about having me do one soon.
Meet the Tetrad
Enough of that reminiscing lets look at some Tetrad lists. I have even played a few of them too – so while some might be repeats of the lists I have posted before – it probably means I have actually thrown down with it. The lists range from basic Tetrads (Low to no psychics, utilizing some tough friends to help out) to full blown super villain Daemon Princes. Currently we have War-games Con coming up with 2000 point limits and that will have me throwing out some higher point cost armies. I get the feeling we might see a move towards this, especially if the new “edition” is more of a tweak and fix edition instead of a full breakdown/rebuild type of game.
First – what the heck is the Infernal Tetrad? For those wondering it is a formation from the Curse of the Wulfen that utilizes 4 Daemon Princes, with each one being a different Chaos Mark. They gain some much needed benefits to help out the “Khorne DP” tax you have to pay. Its all based on how many are left alive. Here is a quick rundown.
All 4 – +1 Toughness, +1 Strength, Reroll Failed to hit rolls of 1 – as you lose the DPs you lose these “gifts” starting from the +1 toughness etc.
Also – if one of these guys is your warlord everyone else in the Tetrad gets that Warlord Trait too. Pretty spicy I would say – you can do some goofy stuff with this.
As I suspect a Daemon FAQ is coming I would see the Warlord trait would pass on to the others but no “stacking” of them – i.e. the Tzeentch one that says the Tzeentch daemons get +1 to their Inv save. It would only every be +1 – not +1 + every DP that is near them as well. Still will see if an FAQ answers it in the busted way or the common sense way.
With that let’s look at some basic Tetrad builds and then smash them into some Allies to help “fill out” the army.
Bare Bones Tetrad designed to just use gifts not psychic powers
Khorne Daemon Prince, Wings, Armor of Scorn, Greater Gift X 2, Lesser Gift
This is the default Khorne DP and most likely won’t get cheaper. This gives you some protection in the Armor of Scorn (Attacks are -1 Str vs you) as well as access to 2 greater Gifts. The lesser Gift can get you a decent shooting power but most likely you will take the Axe to allow for some Instant Death. You roll the Daemonic Armor power just switch it to the Blade of Blood to gain Rampage. Remember you can use the Axe instead of the Blade and go at your Initiative.
Slaanesh Daemon Prince, Wings, Greater Gift X 2, Lvl 2 Psyker
This is a pretty basic Slaanesh DP and while he has a higher level of Psychics, it is more so to utilize his ability to grab some Telepathy powers and maybe throw down with Shrouding. This guy can also be kitted out to use his whip, but in cheap builds I would just throw more Psychic Shrieks out in hopes to remove units. Gifts wise you want the powers to keep yourself alive a lot longer. This, like the Khorne Daemon Prince, is usually the target for first “powering down” the Tetrad so be careful with him.
Nurgle Daemon Prince, Wings, Greater Gift X 2, Lesser Gift, Corruption, Lvl 1 Psyker
As the Nurgle DP has some auto built in protection (Shrouding) it doesn’t need to have a higher level of Psychics. Again this is another “shriek” buddy that will get a good chance to damage an opponent. Corruption is added as this “cheaper” Tetrad is designed to get involved in combat and hurt as many things as you can. Having the ability to reroll 1’s to hit as well as auto wound every hit is a great thing. Remember a Balesword with Corruption is pretty mean thing to go put d3 wounds on Super Heavy Creatures. The Lesser gift is there because I had 10 points left over for the army. It is another Specialist Weapon and can do some damage to Multi-wound characters.
Tzeentch Daemon Prince, Wings, Greater Gift X 2, Lesser Gift, The Impossible Robe, Lvl 2 Psyker
I have gone back and forth on whether to utilize the Impossible Robe. I think if you can take Flyer Ace abilities and have a chance to get another +1 to your Invulnerable save this might be a worthwhile addition. I can still see myself eating it to that Leadership Check. This build is to try and fish for Cursed Earth or maybe just go the straight Divination route. This army isn’t running a ton of WC so while yes it can be cute – I think it might just be better to have another Psychic Shriek. The lesser Gift is for you to grab the Tzeentch Staff and have Strength 9 in CC. Plus you could randomly blow people up with the staff punching things in the face.
Right now this “cheap” Tetrad runs at 1190 points. It does take up a good amount and you need to combo it with some other Hard Hitting units to help over power your opponent. This isn’t about “winning” the mission it instead is about coming in hot and fast and hopefully punching your way to victory. This leads me to go grab my favorite new “bad” guys for Chaos – the Knight Renegades. As soon as I heard the rumors and saw the rules I knew I would be using them in so many “bad” guy armies.
Will go with 2 Close Combat Knights as while the shooting would be great – we are severely hampered by the common army list size of 1850 points.
Renegade Knight (Reaper/Thunder Strike)
Renegade Knight (Reaper/Thunder Strike)
Someone took his Hot Pocket and he is mad – thus why he turned on the Emperor cuz no one respected his Refrigerator space.
This army sits at 1850 and runs with 6 guys on the table top. It isn’t immune to the Warp Storm as it isn’t an Incursion nor does it have Fate Weaver to protect itself. What it does have is a quick and easy way of playing plus it will look rad on your display board. 6 Models means you have a ton of room to convert. I plan on throwing this or the 2000 point version out this weekend as a test army for War Games Con. The 2000 point version adds more psychic levels to everyone and Slaanesh DP gains Daemonic Armor.
I love any Flying Circus army that doesn’t try to use the Grim and Fateweaver. It probably means it isn’t going to win – but dangit sometimes you want to be your own man and win/lose with terrible choices. Plus – I know beer hammer would love to just push around 6 jerk hole models.
A buddy has been talking about coming back to playing some more as he has gotten to a better job place to actually have time to throw down. He was a Flying Circus player and while that army list isn’t nearly as good it is still doable with the Tetrad. You have to tweak some things but it still works. It is a heck of a lot harder to play as timing your drops, and knowing what to go after is important. You also need to ensure everyone has the Shriek as it is one of your more powerful abilities to remove some of your opponents basic units. New 1850 Flying Circus.
Flying Circus V2 – Electric Football Death Spasm!
Formation: Infernal Tetrad
Khorne Daemon Prince, Wings, Armor of Scorn, Greater Gift X 2, Lesser Gift
Slaanesh Daemon Prince, Wings, Greater Gift X 2, Lesser Gift, Lvl 3 Psyker, Flyer Ace
Nurgle Daemon Prince, Wings, Greater Gift, Exalted Gift, Lvl 3 Psyker
Tzeentch Daemon Prince, Wings, Greater Gift X 2, Lesser Gift, The Impossible Robe, Lvl 3 Psyker – Warlord
Daemons CAD
Fate weaver
The Masque
Nurglings X 3
Nurglings X 3
Nurglings X 3
This army is designed to act like the old Flying Circus. It really depends on what “powers” you roll to figure out how you want to play it. The opponent has a ton of ignoring cover powers – might want to go Biomancy for at least 2 rolls and then end with the Shriek. If they don’t have ignore cover powers then Shrouding is a great power to fish for. The Masque is there to slow down Death Stars and other mean options. I put the Flyer Ace on the Slaanesh Prince as it is the most “squishy” option there is. The Nurgle Prince drops Corruption for the Grim as you are running Fateweaver which leaves you the ability to have more “control” of the Grim. Plus you still have the one Reroll to try and save yourself from the Warp Storm. The Warlord is still the Tzeentch DP as the ability to gain “4” warlord traits is too powerful to pass up.
This is my favorite Damon Prince I have made. I normally use him as the Slaanesh prince as I normally throw down with the Lash of Despair. I saw someone else do a similar conversion and I had to have one for myself. Talos chest, daemon prince legs, Maxmini Jump Pack Parts, Forge Fiend Gun, Tentacle Maker from Green Stuff Industries and a whole lot of Goatboy nonsense.
I’ve played this list 3 times and have learned you have to remember the mission and the game. You need to make sure you drop down in time to stop your opponent as well as keep the game in hand. This army will struggle versus massed MSU armies as it is hard to figure out what to go after and kill. Lucky for the Daemon Player – Fateweaver does have access to some decent summoning so you can throw down some units in hopes to grab objectives and keep the game within the grasp of the greater powers of Chaos.
As I play the game more and look at some of the “best” list I lean towards armies that are smaller, look cooler, and are filled with things that make me happy. Big fat monsters, evil bad guys, and the call of chaos always has me looking back towards any kind of FMC/Big BAD/etc lists. I personally like the 2 Knights plus Tetrad list as it seems simple, I have the models, and they all look cool. Plus it feels very 40k as I am coming to take all your candy. I don’t suspect it to win a ton of games but I do think it will generate some grand 40k stories as you get push back to the middle tables.
~ Have fun Chaos warlords!
