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Perils of the Warp: If a psyker is killed with a unit of Daemons waiting in the reserve may immediately Deep Strike with the Psyker model in the middle of the unit. A unit of Daemons may also take to the field by possessing units of Cultists with the appropriate icon. These models are replaced by the Daemon models until they are killed. Otherwise Daemons always enter play using the Deep Strike rule.

Daemons act like Icons for Daemons of the Same Power, and if a friendly psyker is killed during a Perils of the Warp attack then that psyker must be replaced by Daemons from a reserved unit, if not from the opposing army, then from the friendly army reserves. If there are no reserves than the Psyker just dies.

When Daemons are killed they go back into the dead pile. If they are killed then the unit may recover them with a Psychic Test at the start of the Daemon player's turn. They are placed in unit coherency with the unit. If the entire unit has been killed, or the unit is broken and the player wishes them to be taken off the board, then it recycles back into play with the appropriate reserves roll. However this ability to re-materialize is denied if the Daemon is killed by something that would cause an Instant Kill on it or something that would ignore Invulnerable saves. A Greater Daemon can put itself back in reserve at the end of its turn, although it cannot arrive and leave in the same turn. A Daemon Unit must either have the same Mark of Chaos as one of its HQ choices, or the HQ choice has no Mark of Chaos.

Headquarters
Daemon Prince

Greater Daemon
Aside from extras as a result of the patronage of a Dark Power, all Greater Daemons have some properties in common. They share all of the rules of ordinary Daemons (they are Icons for Daemons of the same Power, they either Deep Strike or Possess), and they cannot be Instant Killed although Instant Kill weapons will remove a wound as normal and if a Greater Daemon is reduced to 0 Wounds by an Instant Kill weapon or a weapon that denies an Invulnerable saving throw, then it cannot return to the game. They are all Fearless, Monstrous Creatures, and have an Invulnerable saving throw of 5+. They are all armed with frag grenades.

WS8 BS3 S6 T6 W4 I4 A5 L10 Sv-

An Angel of Chaos has a Daemon Weapon, Wings, and has the Psychic Powers: Doombolt, Warptime, Gift of Chaos, Wind of Chaos, Corruption of Chaos, Breaking through the Veil, Timebending, Machine Curse.

A Bloodthirster has the Mark of Khorne, Axe of Khorne (a Bloodfeeder), the Whip of Khorne (as Lash of Torment, +1 attacker for additional hand weapon), Wings, Chaos Armour, the Blessing of the Blood God, Furious Charge, Eternal Hatred: The Bloodthirster hits all Psykers, and models that are not Fearless on a 3+ regardless of WS/Speed/Skimming/Etc.

A Keeper of Secrets has the Mark of Slannesh, a Blissgiver, Rending claws, Fleet, Soporific Musk, and the Psychic Powers: Gift of Chaos, Wind of Chaos, Lash of Submission, Visions of Hell, Breaking through the Veil, Timebending, the Seduction. The Keepers have Preferred Enemy: Eldar.

A Great Unclean One has the Mark of Nurgle, a Plaguebringer, a Cloud of Flies, rides a Palanquin of Nurgle, has Feel No Pain, and the Psychic Powers; Gift of Chaos, Wind of Chaos, Nurgle's Rot, Dance of Despair, Machine Curse, Breaking Through the Veil.

A Changer of the Ways has the Mark of Tzeentch, a Deathscreamer, Wings, all of the Psychic Powers except the ones specific to non-Tzeentch Powers.

A Changer of the Ways can Hit and Run. A Changer of the Ways in an army means that the Plans within Plans rule comes into effect. Once all units have set up, each Chaos Player with a Lord of Change may nominate an opponent's unit on the table and force it to roll a Leadership test. If this test fails then that Chaos player may redeploy the unit within the usual restrictions for deployment for that Mission (set-up area, Scouts, etc). They may continue to pick units and redeploy them, and may redeploy any units as many times as desired, until a unit passes a Leadership test. They are also Stealthy and can Move Through Cover.

Elites:
Up to 40 Cultists with Icons of Chaos, either shotguns or laspistols and close combat weapons, and 1 assault weapon per 10 Cultists and 1 heavy weapon per 10 Cultists. Assault weapons include flamers, grenade launchers,demolition charges. Heavy weapons include autocannons, heavy stubbers, rocket launchers. They are lead by a Demagogue (upgrade from Cultist) and one Cultist must carry the Icon. The Demagogue may be a Psyker and take one psychic power.

Cultist WS2 BS2 S2 T2 W1 I2 A1 Ld6 Sv-
Demagogue WS 3 BS2 S3 W3 I3 A2 Ld10 Sv5+

Up to 20 Mutants with Marks of Chaos, one of the four Dark Powers. They can have laspistols and close combat weapons,and one in every five can exchange laspistols and close combat weapons with a mighty weapon (+1 strength to attacks).

Mutant WS3 BS3 S3 T3 W1 I3 A1 Ld6 Sv5+
Boss WS4 BS3 S3 T3 I3 A2 Ld8 Sv5+

Plague Zombies
Up to 20 of these loathsome things have the Mark of Nurgle incorporated into their profile below, and also have Feel No Pain and Poisoned attacks (4+). On a roll of 6 every casualty in an assault caused by Plague Zombies will add a Zombie to the unit. They are Fearless. So long as one zombie is still on the board its unit will act like an Icon.

Zombie WS2 BS0 S3 T3(4) W1 I2 A1 L10 Sv-

Troops
All Daemons have a basic Daemon Profile which will be modified by the Mark given to them and the addition of any upgrades in the form of Special Rules and Wargear. They all have a 5+ invulnerable saving throw. If given a psychic power it is collective and counts as, for the purposes of range and lines of sight, its caster as a model nominated by the player.

Daemon WS5 BS3 S4 T4 W1 A2 L10 Sv-

Bloodletters, the Huntsmen of Khorne
Up to 10 of these vile Daemons, with the Mark of Khorne and Furious Charge, they also have the Blessings of the Blood God. They may be given Chaos Armour for a 4+ armour save. They may be given power weapons. They may be given a Juggernaut as a Daemonic Steed and will become Heavy Support.

Plaguebearers, the Tallymen of Nurgle
Up to 10 of these vile Daemons, with the Mark of Nurgle and Feel No Pain, they also have Poisoned Weapons. They may be given the Cloud of Flies (as Destroyer Hive), and a Psychic Power. They may be given a Tide of Nurglings (Palanquins of Nurgle all round) as a Daemonic Steed and will beome Heavy Support.

Daemonettes, the Dancers of Slannesh
Up to 10 of these vile Daemons, with the Mark of Slannesh and Soporific Musk (as Lash of Torment), they also have Rending attacks. They may be given a Psychic Power. They may be given a Mount of Slannesh as a Daemonic Steed and will Become Fast Attack

The Horrors
Up to 10 of these vile Daemons, with the Mark of Tzeenth, and the Madness of Tzeentch (every time a Horror passes an Invulnerable save another Horror may be reattached to the unit). They may be given two psychic powers, of which they can use two powers that count as shooting attacks per turn. They may be given Discs of Tzeentch as a Daemon Steed and will become Fast Attack.

The Furies
Up to 10 of these vile Daemons, with Wings and Hit and Run.

Fast Attack
The Flesh Hounds of Khorne
Up to 10 Flesh Hounds, with the Mark of Khorne and the Blessings of the Blood God. They are Beasts.

The Flamers of Tzeentch
Up to 3 Flamers of Tzeentch, each with the Mark of Tzeentch, the Doombolt Psychic Power, Jump Infantry, and each is an Independent Character.

The Screamers of Tzeentch
Up to 3 Screamers of Tzeentch, each with the Mark of Tzeentch, Hit and Run, Jetbikes, Skilled Riders.

The Fiends of Slannesh
Up to 10 Fields, with the Mark of Slannesh, Sporific Musk, They are Beasts. They always have the Visions of Hell Psychic Power.

Chaos Spawn
These are bought singly, but grouped into units of 3 or less, and do not take up Fast Attack Slots. They may take Marks of Chaos. A Chaos Spawn with the Mark of Nurgle has Feel No Pain and Poison (4+), with the Mark of Slannesh has Rending and Soporific Musk, with the Mark of Tzeentch has Wings and a Heavy Flamer, with the Mark of Khorne rolls +1D6 for attacks rather than just +1 for the Mark.

Heavy Support
Defiler

Cauldron of Blood
This tank is rather like the Imperial Guard Hellhound in function, although instead of mere fire it sprays the enemy with lava-like Daemonic Blood. These fearsome tanks are open topped with vats of boiling lava, the Bloodthrower weapon, which will cause all penetrating hits to roll on the ordnance damage table. It is Possessed, and an Icon of Khorne. They have the option of having a ram, extra armour, the Blessing of Khorne, and a pair of Heavy Flamer sponsons.

Type: Tank, BS3, Front13 Side13 Rear12
Bloodthrower: R24" S6 AP4 Heavy 1, Template, Misfires (Glancing Hits on rolls of "1")

Cannons of Khorne
These tank destroyers have warp-powered cannons mounted on a chassis of black iron and brass. It is Possessed, and an Icon of Khorne.

Type: Tank, BS3, Front13 Side13 Rear 12
Cannon: RG72" S10 AP1 Blast 3 Misfires (Glancing Hits on rolls of "1")

Plague Mortar
These self-propelled artillery pieces fling contagious filth into the enemy. It is Possessed, and an Icon of Nurgle

Type: Tank, BS3, Front12 Side12 Rear12
Mortar RG120 S- AP4 Ordnance, Poison (4+), Deposits Icon of Nurgle model or area under the hole of the template.

Stalk-Tower of Tzeentch
These wierd Towers rear up in mockery of the cyclopean architecture of the ancients, a gigantic fungal eye at the top of a trailing mass of tendrils, rooots, foundations, plumbing, cables, and whatever else attached the Tower to the ground before it was possessed. They are possessed, and an Icon of Tzeentch. They have no weapons, but they are always obscured, and any unit being attacked where the line of fire passes between two Stalk-Towers of Tzeentch has either a cover save of 4+ or is obscured. In addition the Stalk-Tower may cast without a psychic test either Bolt of Change, or Doombolt, or Wind of Chaos, or Corruption of Chaos, or Machine Curse.

Type: Skimmer Tank, BS3, Front12 Side12 Rear12.

Psychic Powers
Corruption of Chaos
The power may be cast in the shooting phase instead of using a ranged weapon. The caster may place a minefield within 24" as if using an Ordnance Weapon like a Whirlwind.

The Power of Chaos
This power may be cast at the beginning of the movement phase. A unit may recover as many wounded members as the difference between the roll and the unit's Leadership. This power can be cast by a Greater Daemon or Daemon Prince to restore its wounds, or to restore members of Daemon units.

Timebending
This power may be cast at the beginning of the assault phase. The caster and the unit it has joined will hit on a 2+ with all close combat attacks.

Machine Curse
This power may be cast during the shooting phase, and upon a vehicle within line of sight. The vehicle is immobilized.

Visions of Hell (Slannesh)
This power may be cast in the shooting phase instead of using a ranged weapon. All units with a model within 12" of a Daemon unit will have a cumulative -1 Leadership modifier.

The Seduction (Slannesh)
This power must be cast at the beginning of the shooting phase instead of using a ranged weapon. A unit within line of sight and 24" of the Daemon must pass a Leadership Test or it will shoot under all the restrictions of movement it had in the previous player turn. The unit can shoot at friendly units, but only by passing a Target Priority test on the Daemon's Leadership. All shooting is conducted at the Daemon's BS.

The Riot of Tzeentch (Tzeentch)
All units on the board, friendly and enemy, must pass a Target Priority test for the next full turn if they are going to be able to target the unit they are aiming at. If they fail then they must attack the closest unit, friend or foe, which becomes their target.

Dance of Despair (Nurgle)
The caster chooses one unit within 24" at the beginning of the assault phase, although not necessarily one within line of sight, and if that unit fails a Leadership test it fights a round of close combat against itself but not as though charging. Fearless units automatically lose the rule that makes them Fearless, although they do not have to worry about fighting an assault. Passing the Leadership test on a 2 result will immediately inflict Nurgle's Rot on the unit.

Nice variant Daemon list, probably needs more work than it's worth with the Daemon codex just round the corner. An interesting first draft, to be sure.

I agree with George. Hopefully, the Daemon Codex will have what you want.

Also I note that you didn't give CSM the ability to ally with your "improved" Daemons. Bravo!

Also I note that you didn't give CSM the ability to ally with your "improved" Daemons. Bravo!

Huh? I fail to see why this deserves applause. I don't mean that it is bad, but I don't see why it is good.

If CSM have access to generic Daemons and fancy Daemons, then there is no point in having generic Daemons in the list.

The point to be applauded is that he's at least staying true to the design concepts of CSM (and daemons) vs Daemons, rather than just mashing things up to have the best of everything.

Well, it's not like this was intended to presage or replace the Daemon Codex. I'm not planning on starting a Daemon army, although I do plan to try this one out with proxies because it looks like a lark.

I was knocking about an entertaining alternate rule for Perils of the Warp whereby any available Daemons could Deep Strike onto the board when it occurred to me that what would be Chaotic would be Daemons possessing when possible, being capable of Deep Strike when possible and dematerializing (like the Swooping Hawk Power) at will.

Basically to represent the conditions present when full-on Daemonic Incursions accurse the Material Realm, etc, ad nauseum. Psychic powers would play a big part in a list like that, causing effects like minefields, grand illusions, and the general weirdness of fighting in a Chaos-saturated environment. The funny thing, of course, being that your Daemons in reserve have to possess those on the board that succumb to the Perils of the Warp!

That's old 1st edition rules, coming in when a psyker eats perils.

It was silly then, is silly now.

Odds are against it, and it doesn't have much impact on the game.

Odds are against it? What, GW will batter down my door on a D6 roll of 5+ and prevent me from trying this out?

If you're going to play this you could do with fixing some of the rules.

Bloodthirster: "Preferred Enemy: Cowards (All models that are either Fearless but psykers, or not Fearless)" and "Cannon for Khorne: Cannon: RG72" S10 AP1 Blast 3 Gets Hot" both have rules that don't do anything.

How do you figure they don't do anything?

Nurglitch wrote:How do you figure they don't do anything?

I'm trying to think of a model the Bloodthirster would get its 'Preferred enemy' bonus against and I can't think of one, perhaps you could give me an example. 'Gets Hot' doesn't affect vehicles.

Good onya Nurglitch, I thought they were excellent proposals. Well worth the Play-test, Sir.

George Spiggot: Hmm, you're right. For some reason I was thinking it caused a glancing hit. I'll just 'adjust' that.

The Bloodthirster would get its Preferred Enemy to hit roll against all other Greater Daemons. Not the Avatar though. It's meant to be characterful, not some special equalizer. All the other rules, those are the equalizers.

Speaking of equalizers I didn't write this for points-play - it's purely for the fun of fighting on a Daemon-infested Hell-World (well, that and the fun of doing something fun with Possession and and Immaterial Foes). Might be something for people to choose their favourite Dark Power and fight each other with them, for that genuine "What the hey?!" Lost and the Damned Experience.

akira5665: Thanks.

The Coward rule is clumsily written and hard to grasp at first glance. The way I read it, the first half makes a point of working only on fearless psykers and then the second part goes on to work on non-fearless enemies, of which non-fearless psykers would be included. Wouldn't it be simpler to just say "Prefered enemies are Psykers and those without the Fearless ability."?

Arstahd: Seems well-written enough to me. I've checked and you seem to have mis-read it. It goes:

"All models that are either Fearless but psyckers, or not Fearless."

It could be written more clearly:

"Any models that are either Fearless and Psykers, or not Fearless."

Or:

"Any models that are either Fearless but also Psykers, or not Fearless at all."

The form of the rule is:

(Ux)(Mx & ((Fx & Px) v ~Fx))

The suggested alternative, "Preferred enemies are Psykers and those without the Fearless ability", does not express the three conditions clearly (explicitly) since it leaves an inclusive middle between being Fearless and being a Psycker. Doing this would be simpler but it would not be more elegant, since its simplicity would come at the cost of information. I've amended it as the first clear alternative.

How about simply this: BloodThirster - combat master - Has Preferred Enemy against everything. Simple.

Nope, I don't like it. Might as well give it a WS10. The point is a bit of flavour, rather than a force multiplier. It already has two extra attacks, via the Mark of Khorne and the Whip of Khorne, on top of five attacks and Wings. That's if it doesn't get an 8th attack thanks to charging, and doesn't bother with the Bloodfeeder adding +2D6 attacks. I'd rather give it an edge on belabouring its brethren Greater Daemons in combat and leave it an embodiment of senseless and absolute violence rather than try to make it a hairy Avatar (what I like to think of as an embodiment of sensitive and discriminating violence).

Still, would I tell you how to play your game? No, I just like it better my way. Mileage may vary.

Right, now I know where you're coming from. 'Preferred enemy' doesn't work against Monstrous creatures or Independent characters (and in the case here, against foes with WS 7 or less).

May I suggest the following revision:

Cosmic enmity: The Bloodthirster hits on 3+ vs. non Khornate Greater Daemons.

That covers all three of the other Greater Daemons but not the Avatar as he isn't a Greater Daemon (he may not even be a Daemon in the new Eldar codex). With WS 8 he'll hit almost everything else in the game on threes anyway. There are few enough WS 8+ models that you can probably name them directly in the rule.

That doesn't really represent Khorne's special enmity for cowards now does it?

Then think of another rule then, the current rule doesn't represent Khorne's special enmity for cowards either (not that he has one). Khorne hates Slaanesh followers and 'magic' users according to the realms of chaos books.

I think the rule as I've written it does represent a special enmity towards cowards that the Power of Khorne has.

Theologically speaking, Khorne embodies mindless and absolute violence, and thus is a Power of irrational violence. Cowardice, at its base, is the application of rationality, and the application of rationality at its extension is magic, techne without episteme. The Fleshhounds of Khorne, for example, are reputed to hunt down the souls of the cowardly and devour them.

Your rule does nothing but extend the length of the Blood thirsters entry, it has no game effect, certainly not the one you intended.

Cowardice is one of those base instincts, one half of the fight or flight reaction given a moral spin. A dog makes the same 'rational' decision to fight as the do to flee. Assuming that dogs make rational decisions at all, which I doubt. The difference is that dogs don't apply a moral twist to the kill or be killed law of life.

Oddly, in game your rule would penalize (if it had a game effect) non-fearless troops that fought the blood thirster in melee but did not flee, I don't see how you can sell that as cowardice.

To recap, in order to be affected by your rule an opponent must be a non monstrous creature, non independent character fearless psyker with a weapon skill of 8+ or a non monstrous creature, non independent character non fearless model with a weapon skill of 8+. I can't think of any models that fit into either category, perhaps you can.

Nurglitch wrote:The Fleshhounds of Khorne, for example, are reputed to hunt down the souls of the cowardly and devour them.

Then give the rule to Fleshhounds then, they'll be able to make some use of it.

It certainly has a game effect. It allows the Bloodthirster to strike models that are Fearless and Psykers, or that are not Fearless on a 3+ regardless of Weapon Skill. In particular this rule allows the Bloodthirster to hit other Greater Daemons besides other Bloodthirsters on 3+ rather than 4+. Since I intended this, and I consider my intention successfully carried out.

Cowardice is no base instinct. To consider it as such would be a fallacy of personification. Dogs cannot be brave or cowardly, they are not rational and have no concept of cowardice to be about their behaviour. As you say, dogs are not rationalists (yet so many Cynics are...booya!).

Non-Fearless troops that fought a Bloodthirster and pass their Break Test could still be cowards and not flee. Cowardice is a disposition to flee, it is not always fleeing when it is rational to do so. Being merely rooted to the ground in terror, transfixed by the spectacle of ageless doom, or simply shocked by the terrible violence of a Bloodthirster in action are all quite reasonable outcomes that a coward may expect if they somehow come within arm's reach of these Daemons.

Now, had you simply reminded me that Preferred Enemy does not affect Monstrous Creatures and referenced the page so I could remind myself, I could have agreed with you quickly enough and amended the rule.

Nurglitch wrote:Dogs cannot be brave or cowardly, they are not rational and have no concept of cowardice to be about their behaviour.

I think that's what I said.

Nurglitch wrote:Cowardice is a disposition to flee...

And bravery the rational mind overcoming that disposition. Still, in game terms you have to be a non fearless WS 8+ model to be a coward so it's probably moot anyway.

Nurglitch wrote:Now, had you simply reminded me that Preferred Enemy does not affect Monstrous Creatures and referenced the page so I could remind myself, I could have agreed with you quickly enough and amended the rule.

I did, three posts ago.

Bravery has nothing to do with rationality. Being brave, despite the blather of the Virtue Ethicists, does not consist of any rational choice or some rational mean between cowardice and foolhardiness. It is a disposition to do what is irrational despite knowing otherwise. A laudable quality in the eminently disposable, to be sure, but then its irrationality is why it's lauded: you don't want those who are to fight and die on your behalf to be able to put two and two together. You want them to have as much cog-dis as possible. Likewise foolhardiness is a disposition to do what is irrational without bothering to know otherwise. Being hardy in one's foolishness is not laudable at all.

It's hardly moot to discuss whether something is properly represented, particularly on boards devoted to such discussions. That said, I'll amend the rule. Call it:

Eternal Hatred: The Bloodthirster hits all Psykers, and models that are not Fearless on a 3+

George Spiggot wrote:I did, three posts ago.

So you did. Oops.

Nurglitch wrote:Eternal Hatred: The Bloodthirster hits all Psykers, and models that are not Fearless on a 3+

Well, it does what it says on the tin now, mission accomplished. let me know if you find any non fearless models the Bloodthirster doesn't hit on threes anyway, It's future proofing I suppose.

Yeah, that's the ticket. Falcons aren't Fearless.

um.... perferred enemy only works on non monstrous creature, and independant character models with WS, good try though...

therefore, congradulations, you can hit a war walker or dreadnaught like it's knotzinks, but you still only hit a falcon on a 6+.

but Falcons are not fearless...

Oh, just as a suggestion, you may want the whole "If you fail a psyker test deamons enter play" rule to be countered if a commisar is in the unit with the psyker ala "It's for you own good" bit. I mean, that's why they pop psykers when they have troubles dealing with the warp....

Ihavenoavatar: Apparently Preferred Enemy will be changed so that Monstrous Creatures are no longer an exception. So much for planning ahead eh?

I'd have to read up on the "It's for your own good!" rule, but it seems like it might already work to prevent the Possession-Deep Strike thingy.