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Disclaimer, I'm well aware the army is exceedingly strong in certain builds. I'm not looking to sweep tournaments, or local weekend games.

I'm picking up an Aetherwar set, plus 6 Flamers. It's not too big of a commitment for myself yet, but I'm looking for advice on where to take this set of models going forwards. Is a list of mixed Arcanite and Daemons effective? Am I better off leaning in to one specific style? As far as type of army, I'm looking for a magic and shooting build with some tar-pit units. I like the look of all the daemons, tzaangors, and I'm not a fan of Acolytes or generic chaos mortals.

There's a lot in the book in terms of factions, build options, traits, relics and subfactions that it's sort of making my head spin. Hoping for some advice that can help me sort things out in to a manageable level and get a good direction to build towards.

Aether war was that KO/DoT box correct? (new hero, 6 Disks 3 Screamers).

Well the Meta DoT is Changehost with Flamers/Horrors for the most part. What makes it so good is its an Alpha strike 1 drop list with 1 good movement a turn and a solid chaff unit.

But that doesn't mean there isn't other fun and work well ways to play DoT. I personally like Duplic as my trait. I would still get at least 1 box of Pink and blue/brim horrors, maybe a changeling, and at least some more battleline. But that depends on how you want to play.

B.c you like daemons and Tzaangors and you do not like Acolytes then just ignore everything Acolyte.

One of the battalions thats B tier that i really like is Tzaangor Coven. This is 2 units of Enlighten on disks, 2 units of Skyfires, and 2 units of Tzaangors. Its a very well rounded start to a list. Some shooting, some melee, 2 battleline. It will let you Fight or Shoot in the hero phase with 1 of these units. its very strong. After that battalion you should get some horrors and a Tshaman. With Duplicitous they can not fallback from you, so they will always be stuck fighting 1 unit. This is a really good way to get extra kills in, just be careful not to charge something to deadly in combat so you are kinda squishy. If you had Horror in front the Disks has 2" reach and can fight over them.

So a starting list could look like this
Tshaman
A 100pt caster (or 110, not 120 sadly)
Tzaangors x10
Tzaangors x10
2x3 Skyfires
2x3 Enlighten on disk
Horrors x10
Flamers 1x3
Flamers 1x3
Battalion

This list is more about having 1 or 2 really good turns but it will not step over most players. It has some very solid movements, good shooting, low on magic, good at melee for tzeentch, but it is squishy. I would say its a "B tier" list where the normal list for DoT is an "S tier".

But like i said, it is squishy.

If you don;t like it or want something a bit stronger let us know.

PS: I was trying to build off of what you had and what you want, but at the same time keep it not to high of power level, it'll be great for pick up games, even if you don't win a lot, the other players will be happy to play this list.

Thanks for the advice. I like the look of that list, can see it being solid. For the second relic given by the Batallion, what would you recommend?

And in your opinion, what would a more daemon-focused list, that's not the Flamer Spam list?

Is there ever a reason to not take the Subfactions?

Thanks,

Normally I go to 1d4chan to get a rundown of factions and figure out a list, but their Tzeentch tactics page is just a mess right now, with half the text on the page crossed out as changes get made, but not removed, on top of there being just a LOT of stuff to read through.

PS I did not add the Screamers. I forgot, keep them for Summoning, so you have at least something to summon.

As for Daemon based? Not to fully sure as i have mostly a Tzaangor army (3k worth) So i can only test out so much, they lost daemon Keyword in this new book.

Looking at what I have, and ease of purchase, I put together something more on the daemon side, while trying to avoid what might make for a nasty tournament list. I'm definetly interested in going both ways eventually, a Tzaangor and Daemon army, but this is going to be a slower project while I'm focusing on finishing Skaven and building Lumineth,.

Eternal Conflagration Subfaction

Fateskimmer, Herald of Tzeentch on Burning Chariot - 140
Lord of Change - 380
Tzaangor Shaman

6 Flamers of Tzeentch - 240
10 Pink Horrors - 200
10 Pink Horrors - 200

Exalted Flamer of Tzeentch - 100
6 Screamers of Tzeentch - 160
6 Tzaangor Enlightened/ Skyfires - 360/400

List ends up at 1930/1970

Unsure if I want a fast melee threat, or just more shooting in the list with the Skyfires or Enlightened. The intention is to have some cool units, buff up the Pink Horrors and Flamers without going too hard on them, and then have a force of Tzaangors in the list. A bit scattered, not focusing on one specific part/cheesing it, is what I'm hoping for. I don't need to have another puppy-kicking army to play in my Meta.

I personally don't like Skyfires outside of detachments. For me they are lack luster.

I would just build the legs/disk and play a couple games with both to see what you like better.

IMO Pinks are a trap to take in-list. Better off summoning them for free with a Gaunt Summoner who also has a decent built-in spell and can support the Horrors with the -1 to hit in combat. For their cost, Pinks can simply die too easily and once you kill 3 of them (assuming a minimum sized unit of 10) they are no longer and Wizard and cant buff their own shooting. Oh yeah down a spell for summoning later too. Yes you can spend a DD to bring back d6, but any half-decent player will focus down the unit till all 10 pinks are dead and become a non-threat. 6+ 6++ wont survive any real salvo of shooting.

I prefer Tzangors with Acolytes as chaff, but then I also run Cult of Transient Form. I do use Deamons for support; Flamers for great ranged damage and LoC for almost guaranteed spell casting on top of extra Endless Spell removal. Can't get a one drop like you can if you go full Deamons and Changehost but I like that I can easily buff up my Tzangors where the bulk of my damage is by having my ok chaff die. Only current issue I have is I dont have Skyfires which is needed for almost all the Battalions on the Arcanite side.

10 pink horrors is 50 wounds; 10 from the pinks, 20 from blues, 20 from brims. Not counting any additional pinks added via icon. That is 4 points a wound; they can sit on an objective licking their own butts the whole game at that price and anything they achieve is icing on the cake.

Of course for 40 extra points one can get a Gaunt Summoner on top of a pink unit but I assume he wants friends.

Yeah you want Horrors, no questions asked. But if you are thinking about 1 or 2 units, sure i can see not wanting more than 1 unit. But you really want a unit of them.