It’s Like Tactics: Breaking Down the Chaos Daemons Codex

My Tactics pledge: I am not the greatest player, nor a seal pup. I will endeavor to speak from my experience and always be honest about what is theory and what is play tested. Never will I assume to know better than anyone else... unless to call out ego or pretension.

The new Chaos Daemons codex is in many ways a sea change from its first incarnation. The Chaos Daemons codex accomplishes something striking: the design team has amplified how each unit functions, without changing any the roles they fill. Flamers still drop templates, Plague Bearers still hold objectives, Seekers still Rend everything, how each unit executes its job is what has changed.

Much of the change goes into everything surrounding the Chaos Daemon; like Loci, Daemon Rewards, standard deployment, and the Warp Storm table. This all can mask Chaos Daemons play style, but the truth is, they're still  just an assault army.

So, what concepts help to explain just how this new codex plays?

Concept Number One: Chaos Daemons greatest Strength is also their greatest Weakness

If you look at the rule, on one hand it would be an overpowered mechanic for any shooty army. It is worded in such a specific way that not even the psychic power Terrify effects it. The goal is to make sure (win or lose) Chaos Daemons make it to assault. Once in assault though all bets are off. This makes Chaos Daemons a very tactical assault army. You have to make sure the odds are in your favor or be left decimated by one bad roll. This is an internal balance that keeps Chaos Daemons from being broken and is the main reason why so many units got extra wounds from the previous codex.

Concept Number Two: Let the Horde lead you into temptation

True codex creep has never been the newest codex being more powerful than the previous, it has always been about making units cheaper so you must buy more of the them. Chaos Daemons codex gives you some of the cheapest troop units in the game. Every basic troop unit cost has dropped by at least 1/3. All this cost reduction comes with increased minimal unit size, with at least 10 dudes per unit.

There collective cheapness and ability to take 20 per unit makes Chaos Daemon troops some of the best in the game. No coincidence you can still take four Heralds; you will need them to lead the mass of troops this army requires.

Concept Number Three: Find your Loci and keep it safe

The most flexible unit in the Daemon codex is the Heralds, not only can you take lots of them, but they also provide powers many units have lost. Daemonic Loci allow you to mix and match Heralds giving buffs to the units that need them most. Like everything Phil Kelly there is a catch; while your Plaguebearers can get use the Feel No Pain Loci, it only operates if you the Herald is alive and joined to that unit. Balancing what units need what Loci is very important, and understanding the potential combos they create only starts to scratch the surface of daemonic potential. Then you throw in the Daemonic Rewards and you have a gravy train of destruction.

Concept Number Four: When all else fails Monster Mash

Building a Chaos Daemon army doesn't have to be all about Heralds and Troops, itt can be about Monstrous Creatures too. Before, most of the Greater Daemons were mediocre at best, now with the help of Psychic powers and Daemonic Rewards your Greater Daemons and Daemon Princes are aces! From rolling on the Greater Rewards table you can have a Bloodthirster with 4+ Feel no Pain and re-rolling saves to Iron Armed Mastery Level three Great Unclean Ones. Both Greater Daemons and Heralds have huge roles to play in list design and provide necessary diversity the old Chaos Daemon codex lacked.

Concept Number Five: Warp Storm embrace it don't Fear it

Here, let us break it down.

• Storm Abates: Only real bad one causing the potential to lose a big chunk of your army, but remember even only the worst of roles for Leadership will cripple your units, unless you are a Fury.
• Punish by the Gods: Once again pretty bad, but you get an out by hurting your opponent if he has a Daemon character. Remember it means all characters so put it on that upgrade character not your Heralds or Greater Daemons.
• Warp Ebb: Actually the worst of the bunch and hope for it to happen early in the game.
• 5,6,8,9 rolls: Unless you are running every Chaos God these rolls will do more to your opponent than they ever could to your army. Every turn you're encouraged to get into assault as it won't affect you and can still cripple pesky enemy units that attempt to avoid your grasp.
• Warp Surge: Please, can I have another? The best result you can get, as your Daemons go from saving 1/3 of the time to 1/2 of the time.
• Daemonic Possession: Mindshackle on crack! This result will do more to piss off any opponent and compensates for one time you cried rolling a two on the chart. Against Grey Knights very annoying, but against most armies with only one Psyker this is just devastating.
• Summoned from the Warp: Who doesn't want more scoring units? This result not only encourages you to buy more models, but can provide that extra unit you were missing.

The Warp Storm table has like three bad options and everything else is going to help you. This is "controlled random", and it is not to say your aren't going to have the game you roll double 1s three times, but with perspective it is all for the better.

If you follow and understand these general concepts, I think you will be on your way to making fun and competitive lists with ease.

So, where does each Chaos Daemon unit rank within the codex?

There you have it, my break down of the Chaos Daemons codex. Next up a unit by unit analysis and bonus features along the way!