Word Bearers vs Tzeentch Daemons, 12.04.2023

This was the first time I was facing the Daemons codex - shame I'll probably never get to try it out before the new edition. Here's 1500 points of Abandoned Sanctuaries.

I held down the center with all of my characters, and the galaxy's bravest Cultists.

I initially wanted a refuse flank, but the Screamers are so fast, they can get anywhere. I felt that I have to put down something on the right, as well.

Battle round 1

The Daemons won the roll-off and swarmed up the board, taking the middle objectives. They also magicked the Cultists to death, and shot and charged the Rhino, destroying it. I decided to abandon my secondaries and go in for the kill. Furries charged a group of Screamers, Dark Apostle Jarulek went into a group of Horrors, my Daemon Prince went into another group of Screamers, and the Rubrics shot and charged the Screamer unit that killed the Rhino.

Horrors died horribly, but almost all of them split, leaving the Dark Apostle locked down. The Daemon Prince killed all of his Screamers, then consolidated into the Horrors to lock them down.

The Rubric flamers barely touched the Screamers - curse you 3+ - but then they killed them all in melee. I've never seen that happen before.

Only the Possessed floundered, as the Screamers interrupted and killed some of them off.

Battle round 2

Kairos teleported to take out the Rubrics. He killed off about half of them.

The Horrors retreated, and the Flamers jumped into reality to shoot my Apostle.

Screamers retreated and the Burning Chariot moved in to mow down the Possessed.

I had the Apostle consolidate after the Horrors, then survive the shooting, then intervene into the Horrors. Another round of splitting.

The Possessed Champion held the line.

The Tzeentch Daemon Prince charged into mine, but thanks to good saves and Delightful Agonies, failed to score a kill. I struck back, taking it out.

Then it was my turn. I disembarked the Chosen and charged into the middle, taking out the Flamers and leaving the Chariot on 1 wound.

The Rubrics shot and charged Kairos, leaving him at about 6 wounds. The Prince fought the Horrors, killing some.

We were about equal in points, but the Daemon forces had suffered catastrophic losses. We shook hands, and declared a Word Bearers victory!

Aftermath

The Word Bearers did what they do: go in hard and fast, and destroy the enemy. It helped that the Daemons came close into charge range, and only had mostly 6+ saves in combat. Note that the Rubrics, which usually do great in shooting, did about nothing, and the Raider, which usually does something, did literally nothing. Everything else performed well. The 5+ FnP against mortal wounds, which rarely comes up, also worked wonders. I think that the choice to abandon the secondary actions and charge in was the right one. I probably could have tabled the Daemons in battle round 3, then score whatever was left.

As for the Daemons, I loved everything about them. Kairos had great MW output through spells, as well as good shooting protection. The Horrors are infinite tarpits. Screamers are glass cannons, but resistant to shooting. Flamers are OK even nerfed. The army looks finicky at first... maybe I'll get a chance to try it out before the edition change.