How to become a Demonslayer?

How to beat those cowardly High Elves?

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Languste
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How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by Languste »

A friend of mine just started with Demons of Chaos a little while ago and next week we're having our first Dark Elves vs Demons encounter. I guess it will be something around 2500 points (we usually play 3000 but I guess his army is not big enough for that yet).
Anyway, I literally know nothing about Demons of Chaos, I have never played against them, have never seen anybody play them and so I don't know what I'm up to there.
So I'm asking for a little help with my army composition. Model-wise I have nearly everything from the armybook (except Harpyies). Usually I play lists with a mixture of fast cav + pegasus fast movers combined with one or two infantry regiments (Witch Elves and Black Guard or Executioners). I guess that can't be really bad against any opponent but is there anything I have to keep in mind with Demons? What are their strength/weaknesses?
Best, Languste
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Heartsbane
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Re: How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by Heartsbane »

Daemons have ward saves but very little armour, so in general I'd say many attacks (like witches) are better than armour busting attacks (like exes)

For characters, I'd suggest that you take both the 2+ ward against flame items, on the characters least likely to get look out sir saves (eg your peg riders), as most competitive daemon lists include 2 flaming cannon.

Finally, beware of any caster with the spell choir from the slaneesh lore. Giving all units in a 12" bubble random move d6 strips away our advantage of manoeverability. Find the caster of that spell and kill them dead! Although that's easier said than done when they're a greater daemon...
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Akholrak
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Re: How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by Akholrak »

If your opponent is playing competitively, then he will likely bring in Plaguebearers for Core (S4 T4, -1 to hit in CC) and maybe Pink Horrors (Level 1 Wizards who use Lore of Tzeentch, get bonuses to cast for ranks). In Special, I would expect to see Beasts of Nurgle. T5, 4 Wounds, -1 to hit, Regen, D6+1 poisoned attacks and only 60 points a piece. Witch Elves with banner of the eternal flame are perhaps the only thing we have that can kill them. They also have good chaff choices like Furies (essentially better harpies), Seekers (M10 Fast Cav) and Screamers. Daemons of Chaos characters are very vulnerable to damage as there only reliable save is a 5++. They can't pick their equipment either and must roll randomly to determine their items, so there is no guarantee of how they will be tooled up. Lore of Nurgle does very well against Elves and Lore of Slaanesh messes with movement and can bestow ASL, denying our re-rolls. Daemons have little in the way of strong shooting apart from the Skull Cannon so 2++ against flaming on Peg characters would be fantastic.
Languste
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Re: How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by Languste »

thank you guys! so the only real shooting they have is a flaming attack? thanks for that hint! I suppose they are all immune to psychology as they are demons, so causing terror/fear wont help me? On the other hand I could build an army around witches and BG to avoid failed ld-tests.
We usually play as hard as we can, because it's all just for fun and we want to see what happens. But I like my lists not maxed out all the time because I think it's way too boring so I test a lot of stuff, except when I know I can only beat my opponent with the strongest choices. Like I said he is pretty new to Demons so I guess he has to figure out how they work so I'm not too worried. I just don't want to run any too big surprises ;-)
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Thraundil
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Re: How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by Thraundil »

One thing to look out for is the "Reign of Chaos". To compensate for their 'lack of a shooting phase', Daemon players have an extra effect in the magic phase. Depending on the winds of magic roll, all kinds of nasty things can happen: from the entire daemon army having to take an unstable test (snakeeyes, ouch for him!) to an entire unit of core daemons appearing anywhere on the map (double 6). Most commonly though, small amounts of damage are dealt to units. His units are affected on a d6 roll of 6, depending on their chaos mark. However, he then rolls a d6 for each of your units, and they are affected on a roll of 6! You then take various effects from d6 S6 hits on the unit, to a small template S4 flaming hit which scatters d6", to a template of S10 d6 wounds which scatters 3d6" (this one, if it hits! a pegasus man, can literally cost you the game so ouch), to testing a LD check on 3d6 and suffering the amount of wounds you fail by, no armour save. They are super nasty. My point is: keep things that you cannot afford a panic check on within your BSB ;) and if you do use pegasus characters, join them onto units. The 3d6 LD check can literally make a lone character go poof on a bad roll!
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Akholrak
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Re: How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by Akholrak »

+1 to Thraundil's post. Reign of Chaos can be a pain to play against and can sometimes be a pain for the Daemons player. Keep important units within BSB range.

Daemons are perhaps the most random book in all of Warhammer, you may run into some surprises, both good and bad, especially depending on the result of Reign of Chaos. :P
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Phierlihy
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Re: How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by Phierlihy »

Not even a Greater Demon wants to touch a horde of Executioners. And you can't regenerate Killing Blow. I'd stick a Lore of Life wizard in there with the Black Amulet and they'll wreck anything they touch.
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Thraundil
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Re: How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by Thraundil »

Phierlihy wrote:Not even a Greater Demon wants to touch a horde of Executioners. And you can't regenerate Killing Blow. I'd stick a Lore of Life wizard in there with the Black Amulet and they'll wreck anything they touch.


You can still ward save it, though... And Beasts of nurgle and plague drones will be immune.
Name: Ladry (female)
Class: Mage (Pyromancer)
Equipment: Staff, longsword, dagger, 20 gold, insignia ring.
Skills: Power of Aqshy (2), defensive figthing
WS4, S2, T3, D4, I6.
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flatworldsedge
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Re: How to become a Demonslayer?

Post by flatworldsedge »

From your note, it sounds like a pure Dark Elf set up. Just in case you mean it more generally, accessing the Alarielle rules from the ET Khaine book, as part of a ET list, might be of value. If using pure Dark Elves, and want to introduce some randomness of your own into proceedings, you might look to Sivejir's Hex Scroll. Used on a casting Greater Demon you've got a 33% chance of a few moments of comedy and a significantly easier kill - doing the maths suggests it's a good deal points wise, even if I can't personally stand the aesthetics/production value of the situation.
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