New Nurgle Daemon Prince/Great Unclean One

I've been looking out for a suitable figure to use as a Daemon Prince for a Warriors of Chaos army and stumbled across this model on eBay.

It is produced by a Polish company "Kromlech" and currently can only be purchased via eBay. They call it a Rotten Butcher (Daemon of Plague) and it tipped the scale at USD52.99

Postage from Poland was only USD7.00 and it arrived in less than a week.

The model stands 4" tall from top of head to soles of hooves. It is a five part resin model and the casting is very clean and the pieces fit together extremely easily. There is minimal cleanup and it looks like any filling required will also be minimal.

Here are some photos of the resin pieces I received:

I am very happy with the figure an intend to use it both as a Nurgle DP and also as a Great Unclean One.

Once it is painted I'll post pictures.

More Warriors Thoughts

The more I read the new Warriors book the more I think it is going to be absolutely top tier.

Particularly for the next few months before some hard cap restrictions come into play I think it is going to be face-tearingly brutal. I suspect if any of the top ranked players take the new book to Equinox and/or Runefang we will be hearing lots of groans post-events.

Yes, it will require some new model purchases but  it is a seriously strong book - far better than ogres, and less susceptible to Skaven/Lizards than it was.

Get in early....it's going to be a juggernaut.

Warriors Impressions

The more I read the new Warriors of Chaos, the more I think that the designer has done a good job.

Generally the two biggest complaints from army owners is the repricing of Marauders - especially the pay per model for Mark of Khorne - and the changes to Skullcrushers. In both cases I think the changes were warranted - 50+ units of Khorne Marauders with Flails were too cheap - and the Skullcrushers were the best Monstrous Cavalry in the game. The repointing of the Skullcrushers hasn't been all one way - the extra wound and changes to Jugger offset by the reduction in T fully justify the 78 point cost.

So what do I like about the book?

First and foremost, the variety. Only the Orc & Goblin book has more unit choices. This means that there is an incredible opportunity to build lists, look for different synergies etc.

Following on from this, there is now competition in all slots. For example the Lord slot has three contenders with the elevation of the Daemon Prince. The Troops slot has variety too. Now you can have vanguarding Dogs, Marauder spam, Core Chariots as well as the mainstay with infantry. Initially I though Chariots were the new black, now I'm leaning to a more combined arms approach. However what you take has to fit with the rest of your list. So I think this will mean more variety.

The Special slot again creates conundrums - Knights, Dragon Ogres, Chimeras, Chosen (with or without Warshrine). There are a lot of choices to make and opportunities (read builds) to explore. Even the Rare slot is busy. I like Hellcannons but can I fit them and Skullcrushers in? What about the Shaggoth - increase in stats and 50 point decrease?

Real real variety.

I haven't even begun to scratch the surface in regards to Lores but Nurgle in particular with its buffs and damage spells looks a good Lore and even if you mark your users you now have access to a battle college lore.

If I was a WoC general I wouldn't be moaning. Instead I'd be rejoicing at what a great and varied book GW have delivered. Yeah, sure it's different but all books are. Look at the longevity you have in comparison to say the variety in the Ogre book (ref NZTC lists). Here you have a multitude of viable alternatives rather than predominantly one single build.

WoC Question

The #1 Spell in the Tzeentch deck is Treason.

It is a hex that says the target must use the lowest Leadership value in the unit.

Interested how this will be interpreted for cavalry and other mounted models.

I have a strong inkling what they probably intended but I know how RAW reads.

WoC - Two More Sleeps

There is a lot more information emerging on teh interwebz regarding the new rules for WoC. Warseer is alive with people who have the book in their hands.

Given it is only two more sleeps until the book is officially available I won't repeat the full info here. I'll take it that you have the wherewithal to check out Warseer, Dakka or TWF to read the relevant threads.

What I will do is give you some potted highlights as I see them:

• No more Puppet
• Skullcrushers go to 80 points, lose a point of Toughness, gain a Wound
• Banner of Rage = MoK only
• Revised EotG Table giving Stat increases (Stubborn is 12, only for units)
• Chariots are Core and Chaos Hounds fully count as Core
• Third Eye no longer steals opponent's spells
• Daemon Prince now has 2+ AS and much more viable
• Cost of Marks now on a "per model" basis

All of this looks positive. I do expected to see an initial wave of core chariots replacing Infantry. However we'll see in 6 months whether that proves to be the most interesting/effective build.

The three most annoying things have been addressed - Puppet, 3rd Eye and EotG shenanighans - and that is good.

Roll on Saturday.

Warriors Up For Advance Order

When I bought the new Ogres in late 2011. I thought GW might have jumped the shark with Bragg the Gutsman costing $73.

Well it appears this time they have lined up a whole school! The Throgg special character - again in Finecast - will set you back $113 (or AUD96).

IMO Bragg was a very nice model. This.....I'm not so sure.

Little Timmy better be a good boy this holidays to get Mum and Dad to spring for this.

The Forsaken have also been sighted and colour me unimpressed.

I thought GW might have binned this look after the mistake that was the CSM Possessed Space Marines released in conjunction with the Medusa V campaign. But no....they are back!

The pricepoint of $81 for 10 makes them more expensive than the Empire Greatswords.

Not all bad though - the Dragon Ogres and Chariot both look good and have realistic pricepoints, $94 and $64 respectively. This means that you should be able to pick them up for around NZ$60 and $40 on eBay or a US-based web seller.

What White Dwarf Tells Us About The New Warriors

Taken from the Warseer:

Stuff we know from White Dwarf:

Forsaken are a core choice. Forsaken are M6 and D3+1 A. Has it's own D6 chart. One result is ASF.

Chaos Knights now buy enscrolled weapons as an upgrade

WILL OF CHAOS is not listed beneath lords, heroes, knights etc. Only eye of the gods 

Mutalith has a bound spell ranged 18’’
Seems it does a toughness test (model/unit?) and there is chances of chaos spawns being produced

Marauders did not seem to have marks

Slaughter beast is a rare choice and is a bound monster. It is bound to your lord and can have the lords WS.

Gorebeast chariot is T6 5W. high Armour save (2+?). It has KB even on Impact hits. Slower than a normal chariot

Dragon Ogres are on 50 x 75mm bases

Two book items are:
chalice of chaos
soul feeder gift

MAGIC

marked casters can choose a different lore or stick with their mark:

Tzeentch: Lore of Metal
Slaanesh: Lore of Shadow
Nurgle: Lore of Death

Sig Spell: 
Tzeentch is Blue fire. 24" D6 SD6 MM. 

Slaanesh is Lash of slaanesh. 24" straight line form the base in forward arc of the caster. Every model under the line receives S3 AP hit. 

Nurgle Sig spell is a Template. You place breath tempalte at the base of the caster.
All models beneath are forced to test T or suffer 1 W with no AS. 

Nurgle Attribute is that on a succsessful cast roll a D6. On roll of 6 the casters T an W are both increased by 1 to the end of the game.

Slaanesh Attribute is for every wound caused by a spell, roll a D6. if a 6 is rolled the caster recieves +1ws/+1A/+1I

Tzeentch Attribute is for every 6 rolled on a successful cast, that caster recieves an additional PD. But only that caster can use the additional dice

Warriors of Chaos - No Free Lunch

The release of a new book brings all types of optimism for players of that army [except for Dwarfs who never get a new book and would just grumble anyway]. However a lot of people seem to expect that they will only receive things, not that some things will be taken away.

If I was a WoC player - and I am because I do have a lovely WoC army - then there should be some expectation that you will lose some of the items that you have had in the current book. Why? Well because the Games Workshop way has been to limit Race-Specific Magic Items. Typically these have been between 8-10 items - Weapons, Armour, Arcane, Enchanted, Talisman and Banner - per book. So expect to see some of those cherished items disappear.

Which ones would I be most worried about?

• Infernal Puppet
• Book of Secrets
• Banner of Rage
• Access to Daemonic Gifts - 3rd Eye of Tzeentch, Bloodcurdling Roar, Stream of Corruption

The other area I expect some change is in regard to the Eye of the Gods table. It is not going to go - given the new Warshrine model - but expect functionality changes. Games Workshop can't be unaware of the ten minute start of game phase where WoC players roll on the table for EotGs. Eventually after 35 re-rolls the WoC player's opponent gets bored and says "Just take 3+ Ward and Stubborn on your Tzeentch Chosen". If that stays, well you can call my nephew Chimpface.

Which brings us to Magic Lores. I hope GW gives the WoC their own Magic Lores - as per current state. However, I have a feeling that with the imminent release of the Daemon book there will be single Nurgle, Slaanesh and Tzeentch lores that cover both armies. I hope not. It would be good if they were independent but I expect assimilation. Worse though would be restriction to Battle Magic Lores. Let's hope that doesn't happen.

So WoCers expect to lose some cherished treasures....(I am expecting a more mature reaction from you than Dwarf players when they get their eventual new book in 2014. They will want to keep all they have and get more. It ain't gonna happen Stunties. Try living in the real world).

February White Dwarf Warriors of Chaos New Release Pictures

After yesterday musing as to what will fill the gap for February, we now know!

WARRIORS OF CHAOS

Below are photos of the various units from the upcoming February White Dwarf. The two stars for me are the vanilla Chaos Chariot and the Dragon Ogres. They both look fantastic kits.

The "miss" is the Chaos Lord. Could they have made a less dynamic figure?

Not sure about the Slaughterbrute or the Mutalith Vortex Beast - I'd like to see more photos.

Suffice to say, it looks like Warriors are going to have some competition for slots.

NEW ARMY BOOK COVER

WHITE DWARF RELEASE SCHEDULE

CHAOS LORD

CHAOS CHARIOT

DRAGON OGRES

FORSAKEN

GOREBEAST CHARIOT

MUTALITH VORTEX BEAST

Something Stirs In the Chaos Wastes

The drums are beating that Warriors of Chaos will be the next Fantasy book off the rank.


This would fit with the upcoming “Summer of Chaos” where Games Workshop renounce the mistakes of the past and brand Thorpe for the heretic he was. The Remembrancers will elevate Pete Haines to Godhood and his legacy will be venerated with a new Chaos Legion codex that ushers in a wonderful new era of 40k. An era where the sins of Thorpe’s heresy are laid bare for all.

But I digress.

A new Warriors book should prove an easy write as there is not too much wrong with the book. You can generate a number of builds that are competitive though after four years there is a certain sameness to the various building blocks. A Marauder army is viable as is one centred around knights and warriors, as is a Chosen anvil etc……

They have a few bad matchups – Skaven springs to mind – but this can usually be addressed by pursuing different Magic lores (e.g. Rats hate Fire). They also have great matchups – here Ogres is an obvious example – so you will typically see Warrior armies towards the mid to top tables at most events. Where they can struggle is in mobility and I expect we’ll see this area get some love in the new book.

Which leads onto new models. I think we can bank on a plastic kit for Dragon Ogres (with probably a Chaos Ogre option to make it a dual kit), a plastic Shaggoth and a plastic Warshrine. There are no models for Forsaken and I have never seen any proxies on the table so it is a fair bet that we’ll see a re-jig of their rules and perhaps a dedicated kit. The Marauder kit could also do with an upgrade.

From a rules point of view I can see them going two or three ways with respect to Magic. Continue with their own lores, remove the Chaos lores or put in place new marked lores for Tzeentch, Nurgle and Slaanesh that will also cover updated Daemons of Chaos.

Power level? The current book is fine and fits in well with the 8th Edition books.

Thoughts?