2000 points of Word Bearers for Adepticon Gladiator 07'

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**Mahu**

2000 Pts - Word Bearers Roster

1 Bloodthirster @ 205 Pts
   Living Icon
   1 Brass Armour of Khorne
   1 Living Icon
   1 Daemonic Visage

2 Obliterators @ 140 Pts
   Body Weapons; Obliterator Weapons; Slow and Purpouseful
   1 Daemonic Armour
   1 Daemonic Aura

6 Word Bearers @ 133 Pts
   Close combat weapon (x6); Bolter (x4); Plasma Gun (x1); Lascannon; Icon of Chaos Undivided
   1 Mark of Chaos Undivided
   1 Tank Hunters

7 Word Bearers @ 285 Pts
   Close combat weapon (x7); Bolter (x5); Plasma Gun (x2); Icon of Chaos Undivided
   1 Mark of Chaos Undivided
   1 Tank Hunters
   1 Aspiring Champion @ [61] Pts
      Bolt Pistol (x1); Power Weapon (x1)
      1 Mark of Chaos Undivided
      1 Daemon Chains
      1 Tank Hunters
      1 Champion is the Daemonvessel
   1 Rhino @ [78] Pts
      Combi-bolter
      1 Dirge Caster
      1 Dozer Blades
      1 Extra Armour
      1 Smoke launchers

6 Daemonettes @ 90 Pts
1 Daemonic Talons
1 Warp Scream

8 Bloodletters @ 208 Pts
1 Hellblade
1 Brass Armour of Khorne

4 Word Bearer Bikers @ 233 Pts
   Close combat weapon (x4); Frag Grenades; Twin-linked Bike Mounted Bolter (x2); Meltagun (x2); Icon of Chaos Undivided
   1 Mark of Chaos Undivided
   1 Move Through Cover
   1 Chaos Marine Bike
   1 Aspiring Champion @ [65] Pts
      Bolt Pistol (x1); Power Weapon (x1); Frag Grenades (Squad); Twin-linked Bike Mounted Bolter (x1)
      1 Mark of Chaos Undivided
      1 Daemonic Strength
      1 Move Through Cover
      1 Chaos Marine Bike

1 Defiler @ 175 Pts
   Battle Cannon; Heavy Flamer; Reaper autocannon
   1 Indirect Fire
   1 Daemonic Possession

Total Roster Cost: 2000

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Copyright (c) 1997-2006 Lone Wolf Development, Inc. All rights reserved.

Here is the next version of my Word Bearers list after much playtesting. The one thing I would run into constantly would be my lack of scoring units with any mobility to take objectives. Deamonettes are great and I have had much success with them, but their 5+ save really doesn't allow them to take much punishment. I decided to try replacing my Deamonettes of Steeds with Bloodletters, because of their better save and I can summon them of the Bloodthirster. Thanks for your comments.

**Me_Person**

Is the only change the bloodletters?

**Mahu**

When I made this list, I didn't have my previous list in front of me, now that I do here is a list of the changes:

1) Dropped the Steeds to get Bloodletters

2) One less bike, switched the powerfist on the AC for PW with D. Strengh (my reasoning is that I don't have enough models to take to many hidden powerfist attacks, the Champion has 5 Str. 5 Attacks on the Charge (which should be 1.65 MEQ compared to 2.08 with the Fist) which I am hoping would be enough to hang the fist)

And that's it really.

**Cilithan**

Hi Mahu,

I recently played in a 2000 point Megabattle and used the following:

Lord: Stature, Flight, MoCU, Pers Icon, 2 CCW

Lieut: Bike, Melta, Dark Blade, MoCU, Pers Icon

5 CSM: Las/Plas, MoCU, Icon, Infiltrate

5 CSM: AutoC/Flam, MoCU, Icon, Infiltrate

8 Bloodletters

6 Daemonettes

8 Furies

6 Mounted Daemonettes

4 Bikers: Plas/Flam, MoCU, Icon

Defiler: Indirect

Spined Chaos Beast: Speed

2000 points, 64 models, 12 scoring units

My point in posting my list? I'd advice against taking Tank Hunters on the CSM squads, the Infiltrate option is way to important IMHO. Also: my list has more models, which is very important I think. Daemonbombs tend to lose pace after the initial charge, more models prevent the DB from bleeding out.

Do take fast Daemons if you plan on a DB kind of list, they make the difference between locking the entire opposing force in combat or being shot up beforehand. One Rhino in 2000 points? Futile... Take infiltrate or more Bikers to spawn the Thirster from a Biker Champ, but don't rely on one Rhino.

You say Daemonettes are to weak? Maybe it's the lack of Fast Daemons or the lack of Infiltrating squads in your list. I have almost never had my Daemonettes shot up; they almost always reach CC unscathed.

Look into the Spined Chaos Beast with Speed, very convincing for 155 points I think.

Good luck with your list, let us know how you're doing with it.

Cilithan out...

**Mahu**

The problem is, that at Adepticon Infiltrate is not garunteed (in fact, you are better off just considering never having it), so one of the purposes of this list, is to be able to get my deamons forward without having to depend on mission specific rules.

Another thing about Adepticon is that Victory points rarely matter, so being able to capture objectives with harty scoring units is key. Deamonettes in these scenarios are nothing more than disposable advance stoppers, in fact the Bloodletters are the only Deamon unit I would be comfortable taking an objective with.

**PapaNurgle**

At a Gladiator? Crap on a crap cracker.

Things I don't like:
Icons on the foot slogging squads: With escalation, things could come out turn 2 and still be in your deployment zone. If you don't get off a charge with the demonettes, they're not doing their job very well.

2 Defilers combined with 600 points of demons. That leaves an opponent with their entire force concentrated against your 1300 points (1 rhino, 5 bikes, and 20 infantry models). Most armies can kill 12-18 marines in a turn at range. Makes it very easy to target bikes and rhino to destroy your mobility and then concentrate on the shooty stuff later.

Very little in the way of mobility. 2 squads to move forward, and three squads of demons. That's not exactly going to kick someone off an objective. I'd guess it's fine in a VP game, but with a gladiator mission, I would think you might have some trouble.

What I do like: The 'thirser combined with lascannons. Love the idea of having a strong base of fire and being able to shove a bloodthirster down someone's throat.

How would I change it?

Honestly, I'd drop the Defilers and go with all 9 troop slots filled. Something like 4 las/plas squads, 2 Rhino squads, and three demon squads. Round out the points with the Bloodthirster, oblits, and then whatever else you find sexy.

It seems to me that against shooty armies, you'll be outshot, against assaulty armies, you'll be out assaulted, and against horde armies, you'll be swarmed. In my most 'umble opinion, not a great gladiator list. (pretty solid list in a RTT, but not a gladiator.)

My .02 for what it's worth... of course, I'm bringing 180 guardsmen to defend the title... so what does that tell you about my ability to craft armies?

Big Papa

**Mahu**

Thanks for the always wonderful advice. I totally forgot about escalation. I hate that rule with every fiber of my being.

The Defilers have done me rather well. Against Hordes or a lot of foot slogging armies, they can create a lot of sizable craters, and two allow me to overlap my Indirect fire distance, so far they are up on the list of the higher performers in the games I have played.

Shooty armies do worry me, as I am hopeing for adequate terrain to hide my Defilers and afford my Las/Plas squads a cover save, which I did find to be true my last visit to Adepticon.

Assault armies on the otherhand don't worry me to much, I have enough firepower to concentrate and kill whichever unit is the closest and I can slow down an advance with my disposable Deamonettes.

But I will do some test games with your advice versus this current list and see which fairs better in the scenarios for 06.

Thanks for the advice.

**PapaNurgle**

Yeah. The thing to remember is how to deal with all the different sorts of special rules... Night fight, escalation, infiltrate, deep strike, etc... I would imagine that every possible rule will be out there at least once, and if you don't have a plan to deal with night fight and escalation, those could be your downfall. PLUS, add in that the only thing that matters is winning every single game. So, unlike a regular tournament where you can take a risk and hope that if indeed you have escalation, you can deal with it, you almost have to assume that you will have escalation, and it will be against the nastiest army out there.

Also, how do you plan to deal with drop pods?

**Mahu**

Do you know what happens first, Reserves or Summoning? Because if Reserves happen first than I can turbo-boast my bikes then start summoning. In the mission last year with Escalation, you did get deep strike, but I can't imagine any unit to take that will still be useful if I didn't have the deep strike option.

Drop pods is the reason for all the Icons in the squads. I figure a Drop podder will etheir drop on the objective or by my squads, if he drops by my squads I will let him eat deamons and Blood Thirster.

**Me_Person**

Well, Mahu, the bloodletters sure could make a mess of my lysander wing. Oh well, your word bearers need to beat up on some one besides my tau. When this whole medusa V and COD craze is over, I'll be waiting to massacre something.

Constructively, yea, you need more fast stuff. One bike squad and one rhino squad is not enough, especially because you always send the rhino squad into a forward spot early to summon the bloodthirster. In both of our games it always ended up being two of my terminator squads left and your obliterators stuck on that stupid landing pad.

**CaptKaruthors**

@Me_Person: Ha! With all the invulnerable saves you make, Mahu is going to need something just short of a nuke to knock down your Termies. At least in the last game you and I played you were rolling at human levels. That was a great game...even if my prince got punked by a booby trap...hehe. Capt K

**Mahu**

Yeah, I need some more fast moving units.

Me_Person, you know you luck out when I killed my own deamonhost, on a reroll at the perfect spot and the thing turned on me.

**PapaNurgle**

Mahu,
Nope. Icon has to be on the table at the beginning of the turn to use it to summon, so you couldn't use it in that case.

Sorry.

**Mahu**

Oh well...

Here is a question, even though it is non-scoring, would it be worth taking the Forgeworld Greater Deamon of Slaneesh?

I am thinking with Toughness 8 and 6 wounds, there is no way any army is going to take it down anytime soon allowing my slower units to take objectives. Make the bike's AC the Deamonhost and Turboboast that lady right into the enemy. That way, even if i have escalation, I don't have to worry about her being to slow. Hmmm...

**DarkHellion**

No, you mean with T8, 6 wounds and SIREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the thing is damn near impossible to take down. Especially with 6 S7 attacks that don't allow saves.

**PapaNurgle**

Mahu,
Absolutely not. Remember, one of the objectives may well be to have your highest point cost unit make back its points. Taking a 666 point critter, you won't get that opportunity unless someone if fielding a biotitan or the like. You want your highest point cost unit to be something that can get its points back.

You might want to go back to the A-con website and review the scenarios from the past few years to get an idea of what fits in the objectives.

Some thoughts:

1) Robust smallest point cost unit (or one that comes out turn 2...)
2) Most expensive unit that can earn its points back.
3) Enough scoring units to hold multiple objectives across the table.
4) Enough speed to get across the table into the enemy deployment zone.
5) Most expensive HQ that can take a pounding, and keep on coming.
6) That's about all that I can think of.

**Mahu**

I don't know, if my only problem with the list is making that get it's points back, than I have a good problem. There are only a few armies that would worry me (mainly skimmer heavy lists). The fact that only a few armies can even shoot at her most of the time. With 7 streangth 7 attacks at WS 10, there is little she won't kill. Plus she is toughness 8, so I am not even to worried about hidden Powerfists that only hit on a 5 and wound on a 4. Plus she has 6 wounds. I look at her as the commander that can almost never be killed and she makes great VP denial. Of course my list would change dramatically to accomodate her.

**Me_Person**

I'm not saying you should, but if you did include the daemon then..

Drop both defilers, bloodletters, and the bloodthirster. After subtracting 666 points you have 97 points left, enough for 6 more daemonettes or a small squad of furies for some more fast stuff.

**PapaNurgle**

Maju,
As far as VP denial, remember that an Indie character gives up half points for taking a single wound So whether I do 1 wound, or 5 wounds, I get 333 points. For the sixth wound, I get another 333...

The thing about a Gladiator is that it is the time to actually play some of the wild stuff. I'd say bring her just to play with her in a real, honest to goodness, no one will complain, sort of game. Who knows, you might get lucky...

**Longshot**

Rule #1 for a good MEQ army.
You're all in rhinos or you're all walking. Period.

Rule #2 for a good MEQ army.
Multiple redundant units (you fail, having only two fast units and having them be fragile).

For wordbearers I'd start with 3 squads of bikes. Mix in some 6 man daemonette squads and maybe a squad of bloodletters. Get 3 tanks with possession and hull - this is like a mainstay of most good Chaos armies these days, because static shootie squads are lame and inflexible. Also, Av14 things immune to stunning are great for Vp denial. Las/plas squads are just eh. Especially with Chaos I'd rather my squads have game in every aspect of the game (moving shooting and mugging fellas in assault).