40K: Chaos Marines Don’t Need No Stinkin’ Cabals
Chaos Sorcerers are still a force to be reckoned with in 8th…let’s talk about why.
Now that exams are done and graded, school is over and I’m back from a trip out West, it’s time to jump on the Newhammer train. The topic today is why Chaos Sorcerers are still worth including in any Chaos army. Stormy, once again you speak madness. Everyone knows the new Psychic Phase is not worth the paper it’s written on. Chaos Sorcerers don’t have any fun formations to make them actually worth taking. Actually, no one has fun formations to break the game, I mean to abuse the rule set, I mean…you get the idea. Chaos Sorcerers also no longer have the ability to utilize that 30 dice pool of polyhedron foolishness. Perhaps, my friends, perhaps. But I say Sorcerers are still a valuable resource in most every phase of the new rule set.
Movement
Sorcerers are very mobile. The jump pack/disk/bike/steed versions of this unit all have a movement of 12″. This means they can keep up with almost any Chaos unit they will support. In addition, the Sorcerer in Terminator Armour is now a “point and click” unit that can arrive on the board anywhere (except within 9″ of enemy models), and arrive reliably! No more scatter foolishness, so he can be placed just where he is needed. Perhaps in support of those 2-3 units that just teleported/jump assaulted onto the battlefield. A Sorcerer has the potential to move around the board and fire off psychic powers to support units where they most need it. Granted, they will certainly have a target on their backs. They will require careful placement at the end of each movement phase to ensure they have some friendly meat shield between themselves and those annoying enemy shooters. From what I have seen, movement is a crucial component of success in Newhammer. A mobile Sorcerer will certainly be a valuable addition to any Chaos list.
Summoning
Yes, at the end of the movement phase, these gents can summon in Daemons within 12″ of their current location. However, not on a turn they arrived as reinforcement or if they moved. But if you can position a Sorcerer at, or a little beyond, the midfield, a unit of pesky Daemons can be added to the Chaos players list of warp friends…I mean fiends. By the way, the unit does need the Daemonic Ritual ability to be eligible for summoning, so no Daemon Princes! This has the potential, despite the fact that summoned units need to be paid for, to become a very useful indeed! Drop a unit of (fill in the blank) daemons with 4++/5++ saves right on the edge of your enemies deployment zone. The Sorcerer can do this every turn! Don’t minimize the value of a unit of 10 Daemons with 4++ saves. Even if you have hitting/wounding on 2+/2+, you would need to inflict 20 wounds to have a good chance of eliminating the unit. That means devoting about 32 shots (at D1) to a 3-5 Power Level unit. I would consider that a hefty investment of firepower. Target priority anyone?
Psychic Powers
Sorry, but I’m not buying into the talk that the Psychic Phase is not worth much. Each of the three powers we have available are useful in almost all situations. Let’s start with the one everyone knows…Smite. Either D3 or D6 mortal wounds. Infernal Gaze provides a 50% chance of dropping up to three mortal wounds on a unit within 18″ is never a bad thing. May not kill most characters or vehicles, but can take a nice chunk out of them. Warptime allows the unit it affects to take an extra movement phase! Wow! Drop a flying unit close to the enemy, even close to their screens, then cast Warptime. Your flying unit can move an extra 12″, hopping right over the screening unit, and getting into position for assault. Cast it on a unit that has moved and advanced, and you are getting those troops much closer to the enemy in a single turn. Finally we have Prescience. Adds 1 to the hit rolls of a unit within 18″. Given the hit/wound/damage mechanics, this means most of my Thousand Sons would be hitting on 2s! That is powerful! Especially on a unit that is already rolling D6 for hits. Most Sorcerers can cast two of these three powers each turn. Yep, you still have to successfully manifest the power. And yes, an enemy psyker can attempt to Deny. The potential, however, is high for success, especially if you are rocking 6-9 Command Points…can you say re-roll?
Odds & Ends
Although not available to all Sorcerers, Thousand Sons Sorcerers in particular provide additional buffs to nearby units. Re-rolls of invulnerable saves of 1 is a common ability for the Sons of Magnus. Additionally, Rubrics and Scarab Occults have Sorcerers imbedded, and each one can cast a power (Smite) and deny a power each turn. There has been talk (when isn’t there such banter on the Interwebs?) of Smite spam lists. I for one will be using the othere powers available to me much more often than Smite. Smite seems very situational. Useful for weakening or finishing off a character or vehicle perhaps, or putting a dent in a pesky flyer. Another important consideration is the mechanics for holding objectives. It is solely dependent on the number of models. So that Sorcerer hanging around just waiting for their opponents next tactical shenanigans, can pull a bit of their own and summon a unit of 10 Horrors onto an objective late in the game. Not a bad tool to have in the tool box.
So there you have my perspective on Chaos Sorcerers in Newhammer. I get the feeling that many folks plan on shelving these guys since Cabal is gone. I am going to give them a go…I know my faith in the Dark Powers will be rewarded!
Chaos Sorcerers & The Psychic Phase…yes or no?
