Age of Sigmar: How to Play Slaves to Darkness
Today we look into the Chaos worshipping Slaves to Darkness from Age of Sigmar. If you can’t beat’em, you haven’t applied enough spikes…
The Slaves to Darkness are powerful mortals dedicated to the dark pantheon of Chaos Gods. On the battlefield, they seek to earn their patron deity’s favor, perhaps even ascending to daemonhood. Here are some quick and dirty tips for bringing magical mayhem to the battlefield.
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Who are the Slaves to Darkness?
Slaves to Darkness are the mortal followers of the Chaos gods, from barbaric warriors riding across burning plains or hidden cultists plotting the downfall of their own city. Their Tribes are the most prevalent human culture in the Mortal Realms, with many of them numbering in the hundreds of thousands.
Across all the Mortal Realms, creatures of all races and hues may turn to the dark gods. Many are their reasons and excuses, but their path can only end in three ways: by death, by becoming a Chaos Spawn or by the ascension to immortality as a Daemon Prince.
Why Play Slaves to Darkness?
Slaves to Darkness is an aesthetically pleasing faction (if you like spikes!) that excels in close combat and has a versatile array of buffs in the Marks of Chaos. In addition to a solid core of heavily armored beefcakes, Slaves to Darkness also has a wide array of interesting, esoteric units and monsters originally created for the Warcry game (with such units as The Unmade or Mindstealer Sphiranx).
Strengths
- Close combat
- A large variety of play with the same models thanks to Chaos Marks
- Modern and diverse plastic model range
Weaknesses
- Shooting (you have next to none)
- Numbers (unless spamming Darkoath, it is a near guarantee you’ll be outnumbered!)
Signature Rules
Battle Traits
- Eye of the Gods– each time one of your units destroys an enemy unit you get a random boost rolled from a table.
- Marks of Chaos– every Slaves to Darkness unit has a powerful buff based off what Chaos God they worship.
Battle Formations
- Legion of Chaos– army wide control score benefit if you have a Warriors of Chaos Hero and a Darkoath or Daemon Hero.
- Godswrath Warband– army defiles objectives which then deal mortal wounds to enemies.
- Despoilers– chain activate/fight off of a Daemon Prince.
- Darkoath Horde– bring back Darkoath units as half-strength replacements.
Heroic Traits
- Favored by the Pantheon– pre-game Eye of the Gods roll.
- Deathmonger– Once per game can use two Fight abilities.
- Radiance of Dark Glory– a nice healing aura.
Artefacts
- Infernal Puppet– once per game does mortal wounds to an enemy wizard for each spell they attempt to cast.
- The Conqueror’s Crown– reduce the control scores of enemy infantry in combat.
- Realmwarper’s Twist-Rune– once per game, mutate a terrain piece granting it Obscuring and dealing mortal wounds to nearby units.
Slaves to Darkness Signature Units
Archaon
The massive centerpiece and overall commander of Chaos, Archaon is one of the most solid ‘God-tier’ models. During Deployment Archaon can be given an additional Mark on top of Undivided.
Chaos Sorcerer Lord
Your backline support caster. He has Oracular Visions ability to buff up a friendly unit with a little resilience.
Slaves to Darkness Gaunt Summoner
Another solid caster with a nice native bonus to cast AND two casts/dispels. Also allows reserve deployment with their Minions of the Silver Tower rule.
Chaos Chosen
The anvil your enemy will break on. Keep them near your Sorcerer Lord for buff purposes and make sure they get good use out of their once per game two Fight abilities.
Varanguard
Essentially a unit of Chaos Lords on Daemonic Steeds, Varanguard are faster and punchier than just about anything else you’ve got (besides the big man, that is).
Chaos Knights
An amazingly fast, hard-hitting, and resilient unit. All other factions cavalry wishes they were packing the punch like Chaos Knights do!
Sample Army
Faction: Slaves to Darkness
– Battle Formation: Godswrath Warband
Regiment 1:
- Archaon
- 6 Varanguard
- 3 Varanguard
- 3 Varanguard
- 5 Darkoath Fellriders
How to Play Slaves to Darkness
Hit hard and keep your foot on the gas to get into combat, and you should be alright. You have mobility in your cavalry and lots of units that get a charge bonus. Mark of Nurgle will make you surprisingly resilient.
For the Everchosen!
