Travis Perkins is back with a more in-depth look at building four different army lists based around the Slaves to Darkness book. Check out what he thinks!
Last week we did an overall look at the Slaves to Darkness book. Along with that and the new FAQ they just released we are ready to build out some armies! Starting off the with Ravagers I am going to build that around the new start collecting box. Then go into the heavy casting Cabalists, followed by the all daemon prince all the time Despoilers. Then finish off the with Archaon lead Everchosen.
4 Different Slaves to Darkness Army Lists
Ravagers:
This army is all about utilizing many different lower cost heroes to run your army, with up to 5 getting a unique command trait and the rotating general ability. It also has the bonus of adding a unit of marauders, cultists, or marauder horsemen on the field every turn for a command point.
- Chaos Lord: 110 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Chaos Sorcerer Lord: 110 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Darkoath Chieftain: 90 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Chaos Lord on Karadrak: 250 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince: 210 Points, Leader 5 of 6
- Gaunt Summoner on Disc of Tzeentch: 260 Points, Leader 6 of 6
- 40 Chaos Marauders: 300 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 10 Chaos Warriors: 200 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 5 Chaos Knights: 180 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- Chaos Warshrine: 170 Points, Behemoth 1 of 4
- Extra Command Point: 50 Points
- Eightfold Doom Sigil: 40 Points
- Total 1970
This is a great starter army for someone who is picking up to start collecting box to build off because when you pick that up, you basically have your two battleline units and a main hero done. Then you can pick up your other heroes one at a time (Chaos Lord and Chaos Sorcerer Lord are super cheap on eBay) and get them painted and put together. Your biggest chunk will be getting the 40 marauders painted (sorry but they are too good to not take).
The goal of this army is to juggle your command abilities and outlast your opponent. You have some heavy hitters in here but nothing game-breaking so you will have to play smart and for the objective. Make sure to protect the gaunt summoner from an alpha strike and turn one summon in the unit of 10 daemons right onto an objective (I like pink horrors but then you need to paint 10 of those and 20 blue and brimstone horrors). You should be able to get your marauders in for a turn one charge using Mark of Darkness to tie up some of your opponent’s troops or to pressure an opponent’s objective. You want the extra command point because you’re going to be bringing in the free unit every turn.
Cabalists:
This army is all about magic and using the strong slaves to darkness spells to your advantage, this is an interesting take on the slaves to darkness because you would not think they are a strong magic army. It is a great army to move into as you collect an army. It gives you the option to really play with a lot of your casters and endless spells which is always nice.
- Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince: 210 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Gaunt Summoner on Disc of Tzeentch: 260 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Chaos Sorcerer Lord: 110 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Chaos Sorcerer Lord on Manticore: 260 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- Be’Lakor: 240 Points, Leader 5 of 6
- Theddra Skull – Scryer: 70 Points, Leader 6 of 6
- 40 Chaos Marauders: 300 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- Godsworn Hunt: 60 Points
- 5 Chaos Marauder Horsemen: 90 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 5 Chaos Marauder Horsemen: 90 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- Untamed Beasts: 70 Points
- Untamed Beasts: 70 Points
- Daemonic Simulacrum: 50 Points, Endless Spell
- Balewind Vortex: 40 Points, Endless Spell
- Purple Sun of Shyish: 50 Points, Endless Spell
- Prismatic Palisade: 30 Points, Endless Spell
- Total 2000 Points
This list has a whopping 7 spells that can be cast, (9 if you get off the Balewind vortex and summon in a unit of 10 pink horrors). Spells are how you’re going to do damage to your opponent, by flooding the board with endless spells and throwing your troops in to defend your casters. You should be able to get your Marauders in turn one with the teleport spell to take an opponent’s objective. With the bonus move from the Untamed beasts and the fast movement from the horsemen, you could start out the game with a commanding lead.
Your goal will be to tie up your opponent and whittle them down with magic long enough maintain the lead even if they end up tabling you. Keep the Daemonic Simulacrum near the wizards and other endless spells to increase its damage output for sure, and you can use its ability twice if you get off the right prayer.
Despoilers:
This list is all about Daemon Princes and Monsters so that is what the list is built around. (Fun tip is the older greater daemons models, the small ones) make perfect daemon princes and can be found cheap on eBay.
- Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince: 210 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince: 210 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince: 210 Points, Leader 3 of 6
- Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince: 210 Points, Leader 4 of 6
- Be’Lakor: 240 Points, Leader 5 of 6
- Mindstealer Sphiranx: 100 Points
- Fomoroid Crusher: 100 Points
- 5 Chaos Marauder Horsemen: 90 Points
- 5 Chaos Marauder Horsemen: 90 Points
- 40 Chaos Marauders: 300 Points
- Soul Grinder: 210 Points
- Total 1970 Points
This is kind of a gimmick list that really requires a table full of terrain to be functional, though this list can hit hard if you place it right. Everything in the army is healing D3 wounds every turn except your battleline troops (those are just there for objectives) and all your leaders also gain a 5+ shrug so you should be sending everything forward.
If you can get the fights to be near terrain pieces, you can take advantage of the special ability from the Despoilers to help turn things in your favor. Still, it’s always fun putting bloated blessings on your marauders and watching your opponent kill their own troops while chewing through them.
Host of the Everchosen:
This is the one you bring Archaon the Everchosen along for with his retinue of elite Varanguard troops. I still think both Archaon and the Varanguard are a bit over costed but they sure do look impressive on the battlefield. They nerfed Archaons command ability slightly and the battalion for the Varanguard, but it is still a low drop hard-hitting force.
- Archaon the Everchosen: 800 Points, Leader 1 of 6
- Gaunt Summoner on Disc of Tzeentch: 260 Points, Leader 2 of 6
- 3 Varanguard: 300 Points, Battleline 1 of 3
- 3 Varanguard: 300 Points, Battleline 2 of 3
- 40 Chaos Marauders: 300 Points, Battleline 3 of 3
- Eightfold Doom-Sigil: 40 Points Endless Spell
- Total 2000 Points
Basically, you’re going to use Archaons command ability to see how you’re going to play this army, as your Varanguard are amazing on a charge. The Marauders are there to be picked up and thrown at the enemy or to take objectives, along with the pink horrors summoned by the Gaunt Summoner.
One thing this army does lack though is leaders and bodies, so protect that Gaunt Summoner for getting shot off the board before it can summon and sell your Varanguard wisely. Every time one falls it really hurts your chances of pulling out a W. I do think this is the most competitive army in the book though because the low drop and knowing if you have a double turn or not is huge. Also, Archaon got a huge boost in his warscroll and while he still isn’t worth the 800 points, he is definitely a lot better than he was.
And that’s a wrap an army for every sub-faction in the Slaves to Darkness book. I do think the Despoilers and the Host of the Everchosen are going to be your go-to tournament lists, but an endless spell heavy Cabalist army would be fun to run.
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