2000 points easy to use Deamons

[Norbu the Destroyer]

Here is a list that is easy to use and nearly every unit is right out of the box.

HQ
Fateweaver
Skarbrand

ELITE
7 Bloodcrushers (fury, icon, music)
6 Fiends

TROOPS
10 Deamonettes (transfixing gaze)
10 Deamonettes (transfixing gaze)

HEAVY
Soulgrinder
Soulgrinder
Soulgrinder (phlem)

FAST
3 Screamers
3 Screamers
3 Screamers


Other than the elites, all the units are just a boxed set. I think this is a nice 2000 point army for starters who are looking to build a deamon army but dont know what to get.

I put Fate weaver with the crushers, the shooting grinder, 2 units screamers, and 1 deamonette.
Skarbrand goes with the rest.

No matter what half you get, it is very difficult to deal with. This is another reason this is a good starter list.

If you intend to take this list to tourneys, it does play fast, but has its weak spots (mech eldar, lash chaos) I know the list could be tweeked, but I wanted to put up an easy to build and play deamon army for people looking to start a deamon army.

[Duke]

I don't know what models/ funds you have access to, but here are my thoughts.

Mostly, when playing vs. Daemons I have seen that Soulgrinders are a little less good than Daemon Princes. With the melta spam youll find at tournies Soul Grinders have a bad habit of dying quickly.

I have seen flamers be extremly useful, especially in small units of 3. use them as a suicide unit when an enemy unit absolutly must get off the objective.

I have seen a lot of people try to use Skarbrand and Blood Thirsters, and they usually don't do much (good players will make sure they die). However, a Great Unclean one is a lot cheaper and is generally more ignorged... Just a thought.

I hope this helps some, like I said though I don't know what kind of access you might have to the suggestions. And always, playtest before purchasing! lol

Duke

[SlavesToDarkness]

Duke is absolutely correct: I would much rather have a Great Unclean One w/ cloud of flies (and maybe breath - don't knock it, it's pretty good despite the short range). A big fat guy with cloud of flies is only 165pts.

(1) Swap Skarbrand with Great Unclean One w/ Cloud of flies.
(2) Drop 3-6 screamers.
(3) Drop All Daemonettes.
(4) Add a bunch of Plaguebearers.
(5) replace at least 1 soulgrinder with a Daemon Prince (preferably all three).
(6) Add more fiends.

[Mr. Smith]

I don't know what models/ funds you have access to, but here are my thoughts.

Mostly, when playing vs. Daemons I have seen that Soulgrinders are a little less good than Daemon Princes. With the melta spam youll find at tournies Soul Grinders have a bad habit of dying quickly.



But they look so badass though.

[Norbu the Destroyer]

Yeah I love the GUO as well. With the wolves on the prowel now, that Jaws of the WOlf ability really hiders the giant Nurgle creature. In fact I lost him turn two at the last tourney I brought him too.
I know the Plaugue bearers are usually good at holding objectives but lack offensive punch. Jaws can spell doom for that unit as well.

I agree princes can be useful, but a grinder is 135. The cheapest prince that I have found useful is Tzeentch w/ bolt, gaze and they are 160. Hard to get a useful survivable prince for 135.

Also, sure there is lots of melta, but a grinder 12-18" from a unit with one melta gun, the unit has to move up in a vehicle and if they are not within 6" they will have to disembark to get within 6" or not be able to fire melta effecively. If they are in range, better hope they hit because if they dont the soulgrinders will kill entire tac squads, especially with Skarbrand on the board.

The army is designed to work together though, its not a unit to unit fix. I think all of your opinions are certainly valid though, as I love running the GUO myself. This list was just something for beginners to start looking at the synergy of a list and not just lots of units together.

[SlavesToDarkness]

Being afraid of Jaws is stupid. You shouldn't let one HQ choice in one army dictate your army selection.

I run Nurgle Daemon Princes w/ Mark of Nurgle, Daemonic Gaze, Noxious Touch and Cloud of Flies. I think that's like 145? They destroy tactical squads too.

Finally, there is no lack of synergy in the changes I proposed. I don't think the list you're suggesting is very competetive. 9 Screamers is such a waste of points.

[Chumbalaya]

If Jaws is going after PBs, then lol heartily. At best he can nail 1 if you spread them.

Meltas on foot don't concern Grinders, but all the mounted melta will spell its doom. Daemons have difficult handling armor, particularly transports, and your list does a poor job of it. Fateweaver gets 1 S8 shot and Screamers have to assault (hitting on 6's most likely).

Fiends are the best Elites you have, Flesh Hounds are the best Fast Attack. Why? Cav movement, cheap cost and lots of S5 attacks (rending as a bonus). Use them to crack open the transports and munch on the guys inside.

7 Bloodcrushers are impossible to place without mishapping or hitting terrain, they're also slow and easily avoided.

[eagleboy7259]

Nurgle units are okay. Sure a GUO hard to kill but for the most part he can just be avoided unless you can bring them in on an icon. The one thing I did notice is that you are very much troops light, and demonettes are the least survivable of all the troops in the demons codex. Transfixing gaze is basically a big waste, I'd rather just have another demonette than spend almost as much to make the enemy lose 1 attack.

Screamers are meh, along with most of the fast attack choices, I think you would be better off saving yourself and dumping those points into some troops. I realize you are worried about anti-tank, but you can easily cover this with some better mawcannons, pink horrors with bolt, or maybe directing those fiends towards tank with Skarbrand helping out. While demonettes are fast, they aren't really that great with T3 and S3 Rending. Sure they have a great synergy with Skarbrand but Bloodletters are much better for the points, sure they are a tad slower but they are generally more resistant to shooting and usually kill more on the charge, Skarbrand being there or not.

I'm not going to say that Skarbrand or Fateweaver aren't worth their points, but they are both pretty expensive, in fact the two models take up close to 1/3 of your points. I would drop one of them and take just a regular Greater Demon, possibly a Keeper of Secrets or GUO to keep the points down. Although I know most people like to run Fateweaver and a Bloodthirster I could never stomache the points cost for it.

Personally I love the Soul Grinders, the models are amazing and I'm an ex nid player, and Phlegm so just reminds me of super barbed stranglers so its a check, check they're in thing IMOP. Taking them naked and them running them straight for the enemy is viable, at 135pts with fleet I still consider it better than assault oriented DP's. When it comes down to it what I really say is "damn they are so cool" and 40k is a hobby after all and the hobbiest in me tells me to take them =D

[Norbu the Destroyer]

Im glad this post has gotten some responses.

I dont understand all the hate on the screamers. I dont think Ive played a game yet where they havent gotten their points back.

I would say to the people who do not like the list, try it and I bet you are pleasently surprised. If you want to exchange demon princes for grinders, go for it, but the grinders advantage is the fleet. Its down side is the melta, but thats what the screamers are for, a little insurance against vehicles flying up and shooting melta. Even if the vehicle moves over 6" and still fires, thats where Skarbrand works, you get to re-roll attacks to see if you hit with the screamers in melee.:)

Ive played some good players with this list and it is fine, I would encourage people to try it rather than dismiss it on paper. If its not for you than fine. I do appreciate the comments though.

I do agree the list is very light on troops. My theory while playing is the deamonettes will be ignored due to the other units on the board. Also, they can grab those pesky skimmers or fast vehicles that come out to hit the grinders. Skarbrand giving them re-rolls in melee a squad of 10 needing 6's to hit and pen works out in average to 12 hits, 2 pen/glance. So prob youll get a glance and a pen roll VS a skimmer or rhino that moved flat out. If you can surround the vehicle before you wreck it, there goes the squishy contents.

I also agree that Fateweaver and Skarbrand are points heavy, I would not recommend the combo in games less than 2000 points. That is why I made it the size of this list. If it were ard boyz I would add all troops in the extra 500 points, perhaps more elites.

[eagleboy7259]

Does that actually work tho with the demonettes? I feel like around turn four people would turn their attention to them and two squads even at full strength tend to die in droves when even bolters come around. Isn't it rather hard for you to win in games using objectives, even if the enemy leaves the demonettes alone you cannot hope to capture more than a pair of them and due to the low number of models in a demons army we aren't usually altogether great at contesting multiple objectives. That reason alone is why so many people run plague bearers as cheap baby sitters.

I believe you when you say this works, maybe in Kill Points where we rock, but in 1/3 of all games being played I just don't see it. Unless you have fateweaver babysitting a squad but he's got more important things to do in a game usually...

[Norbu the Destroyer]

One of the common misconceptions I run into is the idea that since troops score you need 5 squads to get the job done. I think two is a little light, but, with this list, it kills A LOT of the other army, which means they dont have much that can score either.

It only takes one objective to win the game. If you put Fatweaver on one, Skarbrand on another they are contested, now if you can manage one for your deamonettes, you got it. Now this is obviously ideal, you wont always have Fateweaver and Skarbrand, but the screamers, if any are alive can be used to turbo boost onto objectives to contest.

Plague bearers will survive dont get me wrong. Problem is, if someone contests they cant kill them off fast enough. Now deamonettes, although suceptible to fire, can get it done in melee especially if Skarbrand is around. Thats the benefit of Skarby is he can be fighting a Dred or some termies, but hes helping your other units in other parts of the battlefield.

As far as survivability, when it is time to place objectives, put one in cover so your deamonettes can grab that one late game and sit in the cover for saves. One squad will come in a 2ndry wave and if it isnt unlocked from reserves turn 2 it wont see the battlefield till turn 3 or later also helping it survive.

A lot of tournements also give max points for tabling your opponent and this list can get it done VS a lot of armies. Then you dont need to worry about troops. Hell Nob biker lists have the same issue (few scoring units) and this list would crush a double nob biker list.

[Duke]

Hmm, it seems that most of us misunderstood what your intent was in posting this list.

It seems that you were posting it as a completed list, you were not looking for help with making it better. Im glad you like your list may you have good luck with it (unless I find myself on the other side of the table)

Duke

[eagleboy7259]

Well you have me hooked and baited. Once I finish gathering up my whole lot of demons I'm going to give demonettes, Skarbrand, and screamers a try if not using this entire list as you wrote it.