AoS 2 - Blades of Khorne Discussion

[Sharklone]

Just picked up a massive khorne daemon army lot for 40k. including skarbrand! anyone have any fun daemon lists for AOS or skarbrand focussed murder lists?

[LordRhulak]

Here's hoping that the new Be'lakor model will have a 400 point cost or less, or I might have to make my daemons into a LoCA force!

@Sharklone Generally, I don't think that Skarbrand is included in many tournament forces, but the other Bloodthirsters are in the Tyrants of Blood battalion. With a murderhost for battleline/objectives, and a Slaughterpriest and Bloodsecrator, you can have a good force. If you wanted to include Skarbrand, you can put him into the Tyrants battlation instead of one of the bloodthirsters (or even as well), and use him in the Reapers of Vengeance for the double attack. I think take the WoK or IR thirster out. The Fury thirster's 6" pile in is too good to pass up IMHO.

With Reapers of Vengeance, wrathmongers and a secrator, Skarbrand is doing 48mw automatically. Slaughter is an excellent weapon as well. The problem that you will face is trying to get Skarbrand up without him being shot. The 6" pile in from the Fury thirster definetly helps, but against shooting you will struggle.  

 

 

 

[kahadin]

@LordRhulak usually use mine on units of 5+ for the rerolls. I've started steering away from a lot of support heroes, but a blood stoker helps them. He let's them reroll wounds and gives +3" charge. 

That said you tend to rely on mortal wound output on them, or the poor saves of your target. If the target unit is under 5 models and has a good save they may be bad target for skullreapers no matter how much you buff them. 

Your krakadrak or knights should be able to handle anything that skullreapers cant.

Edited March 8, 2021 by kahadin

[LordRhulak]

Thanks for your advice. I tried a similar list yesterday versus largely the same list and there damage increased massivly (8 damage vs a 4+ save). I lost the game horribly after I got doubled into turn 2, my first screen was shot to death before he charged in to clear my second with everything. Obviously that wasn't a good decision by him, as it meant that there was an approximatly 55% chance that he lost the game. However, he won the priority, shot off screen 3 and then charged into the rest of my army. I conceded after I was left with a unit of wrathmongers and a daemon prince. I think next battle I might try using chaos warriors as a screen but only have one layer of a screen. That will hopefully provide a bit more protection with a 3+ re-rollable save. His limited shooting/ mortal wounds shouldn't be able to get through that. The next layer can be made up of units like skullreapers ready to counter-charge if he doesn't get the double. If things go badly, then the row of skullreapers/ wrathmongers should be able to hold up the charge for another turn, and then my third row - made up of chaos knights - can charge in and hopefully cause enough damage to give me a chance at winning on objectives with late game summonning versus his vastly depleted army. 

I was thinking something like this: 

Spoiler

Karkadrak - general - thronebreakers torc

Bloodsecrator 

Slaughterpriest - killing frenzy

Slaughterpriest - blood sacrifice

15 chaos warriors

2x5 Skullreapers

5 wrathmongers

2x5 chaos knights

2x10 reavers (to fill out battleline)

Warshrine - bronzed flesh

Skulls

 

Do you think that the plan has legs vs orruk warclans?

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by LordRhulak

[kahadin]

@LordRhulak You will slowly become the Expert at battling warclans.

If the screens are getting chewed up too bad it might be time to bring in some friendly blight kings or a friendly Great Unclean one.

However, you can buff warriors and you get reroll saves on a 15 man unit. 4+reroll is statistically slightly better than a 3+ and if you get off bronzed flesh it should be a tough nut to crack. They cover more space than a GUO and I think the extra cost per wound of BKs is made up for with the buffs. I also think that you aren't wasting points supporting them because your warshrine can power up pretty much anything else in the list.

I think you have the list that could work, please let us know how your game goes.

[Souleater]

Hey folks. I have an old BoK army in the often that I was debating either dusting off or selling. Got the standard buffers, summoning units, etc but had sold the 20 Blood Warriors.

 

Are Chaos Knights or Warriors a good fit into BoK? 

 

Thank you.

[kahadin]

Knights are great, but they may be better in slaves with khorne marks and allied buffers from blades of khorne. 

Khorne allegiance gives you summoning and rerolls for prayers along with a few really nice prayers. If you don't specifically want those things you may want to play them in slaves. 

I think the real question is if you are a khorne mortals lover.

If not, let them get a little dustyer they will probably be top tear again for a while.

If you need the space it may be time to let go ;_;

[Agent of Chaos]

@Souleater Knights are great in khorne.

Pros: +1 to hit from killing frenzy & +1 save from bronzed flesh (fairly reliable with the altar rerolls), guaranteed bonus attacks, guaranteed extra movement and reroll wounds from bloodstoker, opportunity to use bloodtithe for bonus move/attack in the hero phase. Can get reroll 1's to hit in Skullfiend Tribe, reroll 1's to wound in Goretide or permanent +1 save in Flayed Ones (by meeting the relative criteria). Lord on Daemonic Mount or Karkadrak can also be included for their excellent command ability (+1 to hit & reroll charges). With this combo you can have knights with glaives hitting on 2+, rerolling wounds with extra attacks, +4" to charge with a reroll, all  in addition to any bonus from your sub-faction (with Bronzed Flesh and Flayed Ones they could be on a 2+ save!). Can also include a khorne warshrine for the 6+ ward save and the reroll hits/wounds prayer which will get a reroll from the altar making it very reliable. 

Cons: The only battalion they fit in is Bloodmarked. Therefore if you are running knights you are likely to be high drops and often won't have choice over who goes first.

Obviously khorne marked knights are good in  slaves too.

Pros: can get reroll 1's to hit and +1 to wound if they are wholly within 12" of the khorne general (sometimes hard to pull off). Can also get reroll saves easily, and reroll hits/wounds with a spell (can also be hard to pull off at times) or warshrine prayer. Can fit in many battalions, the best being Ruinbringers for D3 mortal wounds on the charge (on a 2+).

Cons: No access +1 save, very limited access to bonus attacks, no bonus movement (other than a pre-game move in certain Despoilers builds), no hero phase shenanigans. Easy to move/charge outside hero aura range and therefore get no buffs from the allegiance abilities. Basically get no direct buffs from any of the sub-factions. 

Based on the above I think I would argue knights are actually better in Khorne allegiance. The only thing they dont have access to which they can get in slaves is +1 to wound and D3 mortal wounds on the charge. 

[kahadin]

@Agent of Chaos I like knights in khorne, but when I start building them out I end up with a slaves to darkness army and start asking myself what the point is. I've never actually hit the table with knights since they got cheaper.

However you make me want to actually play knights in blades. I think our warshrines are a bit better due to the extra prayer. The rerolls from the shrines undivided prayer is all they really need to shine anyway.

I will miss mask of darkness though, thats a great spell. 

[Agent of Chaos]

@kahadin Mask of Darkness is great but also unreliable. Half the time it fails to cast, and when you cast it half the time your opponent unbinds it. Much prefer 3 bloodtithe for a hero phase move. That gets the knights 20" before they charge which should get them where you need them. 

Warshrines are absolutely better in khorne. They are great for keeping judgements around as its easier to stay wholly within 8" with the big base and tendency to move forward and support your slaves units. It also loves extra attacks with its damage 2 profiles. 

[kahadin]

Yeah, I just started playing with magic again and I hate it. 4+ with a reroll feels more reliable than even an arcane bolt (because you only need to pass one roll, not 2). I think I only ever managed to get off a few spells all game. 

My advice is still the same for @Souleater though other than knights in Khorne are probably the best of all the armies they can be in and maybe even better than their home army.

If you love them keep them. 

On a side note I just realized that We are in kind of a unique position because our mortals geberally effect Khorne units or Knorne mortals. This means that marked slaves and beastmen get the full benefit of being in Blades of Khorne. Most of the gods only effect Arcanites, or Hedonites, or maggotkin. It sucks. I'm worried that we may lose this when we get a update.

[Souleater]

It might be the flipside to our rather wasteful blood tithe mechanic?

 

I much prefer Mortals in Khorne over the cowardly magicks available to the S2D.

Thanks for the advice, folks. It sounds like I can put them to some use. I think part of my asking was that I was never that impressed by my Blood Warriors tabletop performance. 

 

 

 

 

 

[annarborhawk]

About 18 months ago, for silly reasons, I sold my Khorne army.  It’s not all bad - I had rushed the paint-job and just bought and played what I thought looked cool, rather than what worked. 

I’m coming home now.

But this time, I’ll take my time and do a proper paint job - and I want to be more competitive. 

My constraint is I want to go with mortals only, but what to buy? 

Maybe  the best way to put it is this:

If you were putting together a Khorne mortal list for a 2000 point game against an unknown opponent playing an unknown battle plan, AND YOUR LIFE DEPENDED ON VICTORY, what’s your list?

[kahadin]

A unit of chaos warhounds to screen(I always play them, but that's just me), 2 Slaughter priests and the terrain feature.

Other than that you can ironically pick up daemons to summon, they will be something you will use every game.

Right now we can still buff Khorne Mortals, so a Start Collecting Slaves to darkness would be good. Even better with a warshrine.

Many metas are having a fun time with Lumineth Sentinels. @Roark pointed out that he needed to move away from baby buffer heroes because they were getting shot to pieces. I took his advice before hitting the table again and it helped. Who knows when this will change or how, but you might as well just buy a decent selection of models after the must haves.

I've been leaning into slaves to darkness more and more, but I'm afraid that we will get an update that will cut them off from our command abilities, buffs and allegiance abilities like the other gods. So I'm kind of nervous about the long term.

 

[The Red King]

So I bought the daemonbrutes of the ruinstorm from forgeworld to use as my "chaos spawn" whenever I run my beasts of khorne as just beasts of chaos and for their price tag I wanna get as much use out of them as I can. Now without magnetizing the base they are the right size to be daemon princes. Is there any reason you'd ever build a list with 3 princes? Even 2 would make me feel a little better about the cost.

 

Secondarily if anyone has a bloodthirster and a gorgon I'd love to see them side by side. I'm thinking with the 2 ghorgon from my start collecting and all the bits from one bloodthrister kit I could make 2 ghorgon/ 3 bloodthristers. Again just trying to get the most bang for my buck. Anyone have any experience or opinion on that conversion?

[LordRhulak]

On 3/14/2021 at 9:35 PM, kahadin said:

please let us know how your game goes.

Well, I'm pleased to say that my plan worked!

We were playing focal points.

BR 1. He went first and moved up into a commanding position in the middle of the field. In my turn , due to the way I was set up, I couldn't really get a charge off, and I would have been charged by goregruntas in return. I moved my chaos warriors into the center of the board, but didn't charge, trying to bait him into charging my buffed chaos warriors

BR 2. My plan worked. He got priority and charged into me with 6 gruntas, morboys, a megaboss, ardboyz and ten boneboyz. Total casualties: 10 bloodreavers, four skullreapers and nine chaos warriors (this was with a big waagh). At this point the battle was effectivly over. I charged 5 chaos knights into the gore-gruntas and wiped them out, while a my wrathmongers  killed the megaboss. 

BR 3. Although he won priority, his vastly crippled force only killed 5 knights, the remaining chaos warriors and the other unit of skullreapers. I could now just run around claiming objectives, while the second unit of knights charged in and killed the unit of arrowboyz that had charged and killed my first knights. After this battleround, he conceded

Although he took my bait and couldn't get the double turn, I think that in the event of the double turn I would have been able to deal with it very well. The chaos knights performed amazingly and a lone skullreaper managed to account for 2 boarboys in one combat phase. I also found that the list traded well. I always had a backup unit to come in and take the place of the unit that died. Had I been doubled, I wouldn't have been able to do this, but I could have tried a combined assault and swipe him off in one big push. 

Overall, I am really happy with how it performed and I think it will become my base list to adapt in the future. 

[kahadin]

@LordRhulak Congrats! I'm glad you were able to stick with it and end up with something that worked. When I saw the list and the plan it seemed like the right answer, so I'm glad it worked out.

[Hannibal]

On 3/20/2021 at 4:07 AM, kahadin said:

A unit of chaos warhounds to screen(I always play them, but that's just me),

No, me too.

 

extremely underrated unit

[Lord Krungharr]

Was putting together a Forgeworld order (for my 30k Iron Warriors) and saw that big Khorne dragon guy Vorgaroth again.  I saw a guy running him at the top tables at Adepticon 2019, looked like with a Gore Pilgrims.  Seems viable and with a 2 drop army, might be able to go first:

According to the Warscroll Builder and app he's 1100 pts, but according to the FW download he's 1200.

But at 1100:

Vorgaroth 1100 (general)

Bloodsecrator  120 (the banner that rerolls charges)

Slaughterpriest  100 (Bronzed Flesh)

Slaughterpriest 100 (Killing Frenzy)

20 Bloodreavers  140

20 Bloodreavers 140

5 Bloodwarriors  100

Gore Pilgrims  140

Wrath-Axe endless blessing 60

2000 points on the dot, 2 drops.     $610.....worth it?!?!?

[kahadin]

I don't think so, but that -3 to cast and unbind aura is crippling to wizards.

[Lord Krungharr]

Yeah, many eggs in one massive basket.  Can't afford him now anyways (stupid Gamestop).

[Iron Fist]

Hi!

I wanted to pull out a great old list of Khorne cavalry

2 Drops

Allegiance: Khorne
- Slaughterhost: Flayed (Host of Chaos)

Leaders
Bloodsecrator (120)
- General
- Command Trait: Vessel of Butchery
- Banner of Khorne (Artefact): Banner of Rage
Lord of Khorne on Juggernaut (160)
- Artefact: The Slaughterhelm
Slaughterpriest (100)
- Blood Blessing: Killing Frenzy
Slaughterpriest (100)
- Blood Blessing: Bronzed Flesh

Battleline
10 x Bloodreavers (70)
- Reaver Blades
10 x Bloodreavers (70)
- Reaver Blades
5 x Blood Warriors (100)
- Goreaxes
6 x Mighty Skullcrushers (320)
- Bloodglaives
6 x Mighty Skullcrushers (320)
- Bloodglaives
6 x Mighty Skullcrushers (320)
- Bloodglaives

Battalions
Brass Stampede (140)
Gore Pilgrims (140)

Endless Spells / Terrain / CPs
Hexgorger Skulls (40)

Total: 2000 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 2
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 145

Comments?

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Iron Fist

[Perturbato]

I would try to drop a Daemon Prince in this army to assure your unit being the ones who charge and not the opposite, get rid of the whole gore pilgrim.

Because the 8 movement is very low for cavalry. Flayed host synergies well with charging. Flesh will have the same projection than your Mighty skullcrushers.

I would love to spend time on this army but i find the skullcrushers expensive (70€ for 6). 

 

I would play your army as follow :

 

Allegiance: Khorne - Slaughterhost: Flayed (Host of Chaos)

LEADERS

Lord of Khorne on Juggernaut (160) - General - Command Trait: Vessel of Butchery - Artefact: The Slaughterhelm

Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince (210) - Axe - Artefact: The Crimson Crown

Bloodsecrator (120)

Slaughterpriest (100) - Blood Blessing: Bronzed Flesh

Slaughterpriest (100) - Blood Blessing: Killing Frenzy

UNITS

6 x Mighty Skullcrushers (320) - Bloodglaives

6 x Mighty Skullcrushers (320) - Bloodglaives

6 x Mighty Skullcrushers (320) - Bloodglaives

10 x Bloodreavers (70) - Meatripper Axes

5 x Flesh Hounds (100)

BATTALIONS

Brass Stampede (140)

ENDLESS SPELLS / TERRAIN / COMMAND POINTS

Hexgorger Skulls (40)

[Salyx]

@Peturbato:

I don`t like that approach. Brass Stampede is not a good bataillon, since it is very overcosted. Gore Pilgrims is a better bataillon, because the extended range really benefits a cavalry army, because they do not leave the Bloodsecrator aura that quickly. Furthermore, you have no screens and no Bloodstoker. Skullcrushers are really slow for cavalry and rely heavily on their charge. Without screens or Bloodstoker you will have a hard time getting the charges in, even with the Demon Prince CA. I already played such a kind of list and I realized that the most important is a screening unit. I used to play 3 units of 6 and two units of 3, the 3 man units were right in front of the 6 man units screening for them.

However, I am a bit off this approach, because it is too predictable.

 

I prefer a Chaos Knight and Demonic Mount Lord combination, because they synergise really well with the Flayed. The Demonic Mount Lord command ability grants them +1 to hit- for free if equipped with the Crimson Crown, the Khorne prayer grants +1 to hit and the Flayed command ability gets them another +1 to hit. Furthermore, I included a Bloodstoker for surprise charges and reroll wounds.  I do not like the Lord on Juggernaut because of his few attack- he just whiffs too much. So I rather use a lord who is a better supporter.

So my list I am quite satisfied with looks like this:

 

Allegiance: Khorne - Slaughterhost: Flayed (Host of Chaos)

LEADERS 

Bloodsecrator (120) 

Bloodstoker (80) 

Slaughterpriest (100) - Blood Blessing: Killing Frenzy

Slaughterpriest (100) - Blood Blessing: Bronzed Flesh

Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince (210) - General - Command Trait: Vessel of Butchery - Sword - Artefact: The Slaughterhelm

Chaos Lord on Daemonic Mount (170) - Artefact: The Crimson Crown

 5 x Chaos Knights (160) - Cursed Lance

5 x Chaos Knights (160) - Cursed Lance

5 x Chaos Knights (160) - Cursed Lance

10 x Bloodreavers (70) - Meatripper Axes

10 x Bloodreavers (70) - Meatripper Axes

5 x Blood Warriors (100) - Goreaxe & Gorefist

6 x Mighty Skullcrushers (320) - Bloodglaives

BATTALIONS

Gore Pilgrims (140)

Hexgorger Skulls (40)

TOTAL: 2000/2000 WOUNDS: 143

If you want to play this list with Juggernauts, you might just replace two units of knights with one 6 man unit of Juggernauts. Then you might as well play the Juggerlord, because in that case you will not need the Demonic Mount Lord`s support skills anymore.

 

[Perturbato]

I totally agree with you Salyx but the guy looked like he wanted to use mighty skullcrushers and juggerlord and the brass stampede battalion ^^.

I will go all in Slave to darkness unit for a cavalry army, using warshrines, chaos knights and lord on karkadrak and maybe bloodstocker and chariots for the flavour