Age of Sigmar/Tactics/Chaos/Slaves to Darkness

Grand Alliance Chaos Slaves to Darkness

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Lore Tactics General Tactics

The old warriors of chaos enter the Mortal Realms as the re-done Slaves to Darkness. The Slaves to Darkness fight for any of the chaos gods or the gods as a pantheon, and can be built in a variety of ways with plenty opportunity for synergy between heroes and units.

Why Play Slaves to Darkness?

Pros

• Reuses Warriors of Chaos models from WFB, making them a quasi-old-school faction (or at least a money-saver).
• Pals with most other Chaos factions, giving providing a wide range of allies, allegiances, and playstyles.
• You have lots of options for battleline units.
• If you have war bands from Warcry, you can include them in your army lists.
• Your faction leader's killed a world, so his credentials are beyond reproach.

Cons

• Your faction acronym is "STD"
• Traits and abilities are now specifically for Slaves to Darkness, which isn't a con for this army, but hurts value in other Chaos armies.

Allegiance Abilities

Battle Traits

If your army has a SLAVES TO DARKNESS allegiance and chose to take the SLAVES TO DARKNESS allegiance abilities, it has the following rules:

Damned Legions: You must belong to one of these. If a model already has a keyword from one, they cannot gain another, it can still be included in your army but it can't benefit from the allegiance ability of that legion. Legions are: Ravagers, Cabalists, Despoilers, or the Host of the Everchosen.

Aura of Chaos Power: SLAVES TO DARKNESS HEROES can grant an ability to friendly SLAVES TO DARKNESS units which have the same Mark of Chaos as them. The units in receipt of the ability must be within x" of the HERO when they use the ability. A unit that is within x" of more than one friendly SLAVES TO DARKNESS HERO can only use the Aura of Chaos Power from one of them. If a model has more than one mark of Chaos, you can only choose one and it lasts for the duration of the battle. Sorry Archaon.

The abilities are:

• Khorne: Re-roll hit rolls of 1 for attacks made with melee weapons by a unit granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, you get +1 to wound as well.
• Slaanesh: Unmodified hit rolls of 6 explode into 2 attacks for a unit granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, you can reroll run and charge rolls as well.
• Nurgle: Unmodified wound rolls of 6 get +1 damage for a unit granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, you get -1 to be hit by missile weapons as well.
• Tzeentch: Re-roll save rolls of 1 for a unit granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, 5+ optional roll to ignore spell effects.
• Undivided: Don't take battleshock for units granted this ability wholly within 12". If the aura-holder is the general, you get 6+ FNP.

Basically a variant to the Warshrine's Favour of the Ruinous Powers, without the need to pray. Solid enough already.

Eye of the Gods: If a SLAVES TO DARKNESS HERO with the EYE OF THE GODS keyword makes an attack in a combat phase that slays one or more enemy HEROES or MONSTERS, at the end of the combat phase, make a roll on the table below after the HERO’S attacks have been completed. Duplicates are treated like a 7 - nothing happens.

2D6	Reward
2	Spawndom: You can add a Chaos Spawn to your army. If you do, set up a Chaos Spawn model within 1" of the HERO, and then remove the hero. The Chaos Spawn does not cost reinforcement points in a Pitched Battle. It cannot attack in the phase in which it is set up. If you do not add a Chaos Spawn to your army, the hero suffers D3 mortal wounds instead.
3	Slaughterer's Strength: Pick a melee weapon for this HERO. Improve its rend by 1.
4	Murderous Mutation: Pick a melee weapon for this HERO. Add 1 to its attacks.
5	Iron Flesh: Add 1 to the HERO’s save rolls for the rest of the battle.
6	Flames of Chaos: The HERO can choose to ignore a spell or endless spell on a 5+.
7	Snubbed by the Gods: Your hero burps. Nothing else happens.
8	Unholy Resilience: The HERO gets a 5+ FNP.
9-10	Daemonic Legions: Add a unit to your army. Unit added depends on your HERO’s mark. 10 Bloodletters for Khorne, 10 Pink Horrors for Tzeentch, 10 Daemonettes for Slaanesh, 10 Plaguebearers for Nurgle, or 6 Furies for Undivided.
11-12	Dark Apotheosis: You can add a Daemon Prince to your army. If you do, set up a Daemon Prince model within 1" of the HERO, and then remove the hero. The Daemon Prince does not cost reinforcement points in a Pitched Battle. If the HERO was a wizard, the Daemon Prince is a wizard. If you do not add a Daemon Prince to your army, you can heal D3 wounds instead.

Lore of the Damned

1. Binding Damnation: CV7. Visible target within 12" fights last until your next hero phase.

2. Spike-tongue Curse: CV3. Visible target within 12" takes 3 mortal wounds. If this is unsuccessful or is unnbound, the caster takes 3 mortal wounds.

3. Whispers of Chaos: CV7. Roll 1d6 for each model in a visible target unit within 12". For each 6, target unit takes 1 MW. If any models were slain, the target unit cannot move until your next hero phase.

4. Mask of Darkness: CV7. Pick a visible MORTAL SLAVES TO DARKNESS unit wholly within 12". That unit teleports anywhere outside of 9" of enemy models and can't move in the subsequent movement phase.

5. Call to Glory: CV5. Pick a visible SLAVES TO DARKNESS HERO unit wholly within 12". They can reroll hit and wound rolls when attacking a HERO or MONSTER until your next hero phase.

6. Ruinous Vigour: CV6. Pick a visible SLAVES TO DARKNESS MONSTER unit wholly within 12". They act as though they haven't taken wounds for the purposes of the wounds table.

Endless Spells

• Eightford Doom-sigil:

• Darkfire Daemonrift:

• Reamscourge Rapture:

Damned Legions

Ravagers

All Mortals All Day. More Generals, more Marauders, more Cultists.

Trait - Glory for the Taking

If your general is not a Daemon Prince, up to 5 Ravagers Heroes get a command trait. No duplicates, and only 1 on each. At the start of your hero phase, you can pick 1 non-Daemon Prince hero that has a command trait to be your general, and they remain your general until your next hero phase.

Command Ability - Rally the Tribes

At the end of your movement phase, the model that is currently your general can summon 1 unit of 10 Chaos Marauders, 1 unit of 5 Marauder Horsemen, or 1 Cultist units of up to 10 models wholly within 6" of the battlefield edge and more than 9" away from enemy units. A model cannot be chosen more than once per battle to rally.

Command Traits

1. Bolstered by Hate: +2 wounds.

2. Unquestioned Resolve Once per turn, you can use one of the basic 3 command abilities without a command point if the target is a CULTISTS unit.

3. Favoured by the Pantheon: When rolling on the Eye of the Gods table, you can add or subtract 2 from the result.

4. Eternal Vendetta: Reroll wound rolls. If you're attacking ORDER units, you can reroll hit rolls.

5. Flames of Spite: Unmodified wound rolls of 6 do a mortal wound in addition to normal damage.

6. Master of Deception: -1 to be hit by melee weapons.

Artefact

1. Hellfire Sword: Once per battle in the shooting phase, pick a visible enemy unit within 8". Target takes D3 mortal wounds.

2. Blasphemous Curse: 5+ FNP.

3. Helm of the Oppressor: 6" -1 bravery aura.

4. Cloak of the Relentless Conquerer: Reroll charge rolls.

5. Mark of the High-Favoured: Aura of Chaos increases to 18" when affecting RAVAGERS units.

6. Desecrated Gauntlets: -2 to casting rolls for enemy wizards within 3". +1 to wound rolls that target a wizard or priest.

Cabalists

Magic! Rituals! Killing your friends to power up!

Lore - Crippling Pain

All CABALISTS wizards know this in addition to any other spells. CV7. Target visible enemy unit within 18" suffers D3 mortal wounds. In addition, target unit has its movement characteristic reduced by a value equal to the mortal wounds suffered by this spell.

Trait - Binding Rituals

At the start of your hero phase, 1 CABALISTS WIZARD can perform a ritual.

Rituals

1. Ritual of Sorcerous Might: Pick a friendly CABALISTS unit within 3" of the caster. On a 3+, the friendly unit loses D3 models. For each model that was slain, all your CABALISTS WIZARDS get +1 to casting rolls until the end of the phase.

2. Ritual of Corruption: Pick a friendly CABALISTS unit within 3" of the caster. On a 3+, the friendly unit loses D3 models. Then you pick a predatory endless spell within 12" of the wizard performing the ritual. You can move it 3" for each model that was slain.

Command Traits

1. Bolstered by Hate: +2 wounds.

2. Lord of Terror: 6" -1 bravery aura.

3. Favoured by the Pantheon: When rolling on the Eye of the Gods table, you can add or subtract 2 from the result.

4. Mighty Ritualist: Ritual of Sorcerous Might succeeds on a 2+ instead of a 3+.

5. Blasphemous Influence: Ritual of Corruption succeeds on a 2+ instead of a 3+.

6. All for One: Once per battle, when your general successfully performs a ritual, for each model slain, he heals 1 wound.

Artefact

1. Soul Feeder: Pick a melee weapon. Unmodified wound rolls of 6 heal the bearer by 1.

2. Black Athame: Once per battle, the bearer can automatically succeed on a ritual, no roll required.

3. Infernal Puppet: Once per battle in your hero phase, pick a visible enemy wizard within 24". In your opponent's next hero phase, each time that wizard tries to cast, they take D3 mortal wounds before they roll to cast. If they are slain by the mortal wounds, the spell they were attempting to cast automatically fails.

4. Spelleater Pendant: Bearer gains the WIZARD keyword. They can attempt to unbind 1 spell. If already a wizard, they can unbind an extra spell.

5. Scroll of Dark Unravelling: Once per battle, you can automatically unbind a spell without rolling.

6. Spell Familiar: Know an extra lore spell.

Despoilers

Daemon Princes Ho!

Trait - Sacrilegious Might

Your general's Aura of Chaos is 18". In addition, your Daemon Princes have a 5+ FNP.

Trait - Blessed by the Unholy

In your hero phase, roll for each of your Daemon Princes and monsters. On a 4+, they heal D3 mortal wounds. Mutalith Vortex Beasts heal only 1 wound.

Trait - Twisted Dominion

When your Daemon Princes finish a move within 6" of a terrain feature, you can give it the Pitch-black and Nightmare Chasm rules. Despoilers Daemon Princes and Despoilers Monsters are unaffected by these.

Pitch-black: If a straight line between two models passes over more than 1" of this terrain, they are not visible to each other.

Nightmare Chasm: At the start of each hero phase, on a 6+, each unit within 1" of this suffers D3 mortal wounds (wounds rolled separately for each unit).

Command Traits

1. Bolstered by Hate: +2 wounds.

2. Lord of Terror: 6" -1 bravery aura.

3. Lightning Reflexes: -1 to be hit by missile weapons.

4. Radiance of Dark Glory: In your hero phase, pick a friendly Despoilers unit wholly within 18". On a 3+, heal that unit D3 wounds.

5. Distorting Miasma: Your general can use Twisted Dominion within 9" instead of 6".

6. Paragon of Ruin: After set-up but before the first battle round begins, D3 Despoilers units can move up to 5".

Artefact

1. Crown of Hellish Adoration: Look Out Sir also applies a -1 to wound rolls for this model.

2. Helm of Many Eyes: Bearer and their mount fight first.

3. Armour of Tormented Souls: Attacks targeting this hero have their rend reduced by 1.

4. Diabolic Mantle: If the bearer starts the first battle round on the battlefield, get D3 command points.

5. Doombringer Blade: After set-up but before the first battle round begins, pick an enemy hero or monster. Friendly Despoilers units can reroll hit and wound rolls when targeting that model.

6. Realmwarper's Twistrune: Friendly Despoilers units wholly within 12" are unaffected by the Pitch-black and Nightmare Chasm rules

Host of the Everchosen

ALL HAIL ARCHAON, EVERCHOSEN AND SUPREME BEING. NO COMMAND TRAITS FOR YOU. NO ARTEFACTS FOR YOU. ONLY ARCHAON.

Trait - Exalted Grand Marshall of the Apocalypse

If Archaon is your general and on the battlefield, his Aura of Chaos is 18".

Trait - Fearless in His Presence

If Archaon is your general and on the battlefield, friendly units are immune to battleshock.

Trait - The Will of the Everchosen

If Archaon is your general and on the battlefield, in your hero phase you can pick 1 enemy unit on the battlefield. You can reroll hit and wound rolls of 1 for melee weapons by Host of the Everchosen units targeting that unit until your next hero phase.

Command Ability - Dark Prophecy

If Archaon is your general and on the battlefield, you can use this at the start of your hero phase. Roll a die and keep it hidden from your opponent. Reveal it at the start of the next battle round before determining who goes first. On a 1-3, your opponent must take the first turn. On a 4-6, you must take the first turn.

The Eight Circles of the Varanguard

Pick one. All Varanguard units share this.

1. At the start of the first battle round, before determining who gets first turn, you can redeploy Varanguard with this.

2. -1 to bravery for enemy units within 6". In addition, if enemy units within 6" fail a battleshock test, D3 extra models flee.

3. -1 to hit rolls for missile attacks targeting these Varanguard.

4. In your hero phase, pick 1 terrain feature within 3" of any unit of your Varanguard. Each enemy unit within 3" of it takes D3 mortal wounds, rolled separately for each enemy unit.

5. Reroll hit and wound rolls for attacks targeting a HERO or MONSTER.

6. +1 damage on the turn that you charge.

7. At the end of the combat phase, if your Varanguard destroyed an enemy unit, that Varanguard unit heals D3 wounds.

8. Your Varanguard can fly.

Warscrolls

Heroes

Named

• Belakor: Having somehow escaped Alarielle's ruby from The End Times, the Dark Master is back and trolling with the best of them. His best ability is The Dark Master: Before the first turn, pick 1 enemy unit, then reveal which unit you picked to your opponent before then. Every time that unit wants to move, shoot, cast a spell or attack in combat, they have to roll a dice and can only do so on a 5+. This ability is straight busted.
• Archaon The Everchosen:
• Theddra Skull-Scryer:
• Godsworn Hunt:

• Sayl the Faithless: (Forgeworld) A nice wizard. Only casting one spell a turn is disappointing, but his special Traitor's Mist spell makes up for it, Teleport one friendly SLAVES TO DARKNESS unit wholly within 15" for a casting value of 7. This is just as horrendous and hilarious as it sounds, especially if used on a big mob of Chosen or a Mammoth to help them cross the distance to the enemy quicker. Can also deal D3 mortal wounds to a unit within 8", which can be handy for picking off wounded heroes or forcing battleshock. Finally, if Nightmaw is around (less than 3" away) Sayl can redirect his wounds on him/her/it on a 4+.

• Nightmaw: (Forgeworld) Sayl's pet is a cute little hellspawn devoted to his master. 6HP, a 4+ save (increased to 3+ against spells and shooting) coupled with a special 5+ save against mortal wounds, as well as healing himself 1 wound per turn, makes him a competent enough distraction. He is capable of tying up and slowly making his way through a basic infantry unit, but he should only really be considered to tank wounds for Sayl.

Generic

• Chaos Lord: (110pts.)

• Lord on Daemonic Mount: (170pts.)

• Chaos Lord on Karkadrak: (250pts.)

• Chaos Lord on Manticore: (Monster, Behemoth, 280 pts.)

• Daemon Prince: (210pts.)

• Exalted Hero of Chaos: (90pts.)

• Chaos Sorcerer Lord: (110pts.)

• Chaos Sorcerer Lord on Manticore: (Monster, Behemoth, 260 pts.)

• Gaunt Summoner on Disc of Tzeentch: (260pts.)

• Darkoath Chieftain: (90pts.)

• Darkoath Warqueen: (90pts.)

• Ogroid Myrmidon: (140pts.)

Units

• Chaos Warriors: (Battleline Min5, Max:30 100pts.)
• Chaos Chosen:
• Chaos Marauders: (Battleline Min20, Max:40 150pts.)
• Chaos Marauder Horsemen: (Battleline in StD Min5, Max:30 90pts.)
• Chaos Knights:
• Chaos Chariot:
• Gorebeast Chariot: (150pts)
• Chaos Warshrine:
• Varanguard: (Min:3, Max:12, 300pts)
• Furies:
• Raptoryx:
• Soul Grinder:
• Fomoroid Crusher: (Monster, 100pts) a big brute, having a ogor charge, throw stones, and infict MW to other units that think they can hid in a terrain.

• Mindstealer Sphiranx: (Monster, 100pts) a big psychic cat, able to support offensives with 12" of -2 bravery and make an enemy fight last. With the right pairings, you can impose a -4 Bravery.

• Slaughterbrute:
• Mutalith Vortex Beast:

• Chaos War Mammoth: (Forgeworld) This monster has 22 wounds! Although it's only packing a 5+ save. All of his attacks cause at least D3 wounds, making it an exceptional monster-killer when at full strength. Its real strength lies in supporting a Marauder charge, however - as well as imposing -2 to any Battleshock tests to any unfortunate unit that gets charged, the Mammoth can also help Marauder or Marauder Horsemen get in a little extra movement and increase their damage output in combat. Wounding and even killing this thing just makes it cause more damage. If you're playing with a big Chaos horde then there's no finer feeling than running this guy into the enemy's biggest and toughest-looking infantry blob, although expect a few dirty looks for doing so. Keep in mind that he doesn't like magic missiles or war machine fire, however.

• Curs’d Ettin: (Forgeworld) A two-headed monstrosity. Its fists can do plenty of damage and heal if it kills something, has plenty of stomp attacks. it has an attack similar to Banshees that effect every enemy unit within 3" and deals D3 Mortal wounds if you beat its leadership on a 2d6. it also has an ability to kill a single model with less than 3 wounds on a 6+ giving you the of a chance to kill a pesky leader, Special weapon or Musician.

Cultists

The original warbands from Warcy. Generally they all play as Marauders with special gimmicks. Though they now have more synergy with the Hero units, making them arguably more viable.

• Iron Golem:
• Splintered Fang:
• The Unmade:
• Corvus Cabal:
• Cipher Lords:
• Untamed Beasts:
• Spire Tyrants:

Battalions

• Chaos Horde: Your megabattalion. 1 Godsworn Champions of Ruin + 4-8 battalions of any combination from the rest. Once per turn, you can use 1 command ability for any unit from this battalion for free, and units from this battalion get +2" movement for the first battle round.

• Godsworn Champions of Ruin:

• Godswrath Warband:

• Ruinbringer Warband:

• Overlords of Chaos: 3-6 Host of the Everchosen Varanguard. Each unit gets a circle. Unclear if it's in addition to, or instead of. See Host of the Everchosen for more details.

The following Battalions can also be used in their respective god allegiance.

• Bloodmarked Warband: Khorne Warband. 1 Mortal STD Khorne Hero, 8 Mortal STD Khorne units. If a hero from this btn slays any models during the combat phase, you can pick a unit from this battalion wholly within 12" of said hero. That unit gains +1 attack until your next hero phase. A unit cannot benefit from this more than once per battle round.

• Fatesworn Warband: Tzeentch Warband. 1 Mortal STD Tzeentch Hero, 9 Mortal STD Tzeentch units. At the start of your hero phase, one unit from the battalion can become able to cast 1 spell and dispel 1 endless spell. It also knows the Stolen Sting spell: CV7, target a visible enemy unit within 18". Target's melee weapons have their rend worsened by 1.

• Plaguetouched Warband: Nurgle Warband. 1 Mortal STD Nurgle Hero, 7 Mortal STD Nurgle units. Unmodified wound rolls of 6 on attacks targeting units from this btn result in the attacker taking 1 mortal wound. Also, in your hero phase, pick an enemy target within 1" of any unit in the battalion. On a 3+, that enemy unit take D3 MW.

• Pleasurebound Warband: Slaanesh Warband. 1 Mortal STD Slaanesh Hero, 7 Mortal STD Slaanesh units. If a model from this btn dies during the combat phase, units from this btn can pile in an extra 6" until your next hero phase.

Allied Armies

• Beasts of Chaos
• Blades of Khorne
• Maggotkin of Nurgle
• Hedonites of Slaanesh
• Disciples of Tzeentch

Mercenary Companies

• Blacksmoke Battery: Chaos Dorfs with artillery but not really Chaos Dorfs.
• Greyfyrd:
• Grugg Brothers: Up to three Gargants that can reroll hits when near each other. A bit expensive but definitely worth it.
• Gutstuffers: Bring back the chaos ogres of old for some adaptable heavy hitters and hoard clearance.
• Nimyard’s Rough-Riders:
• Order of the Blood-Drenched Rose: Remember how in the World-That-Was Isabella Von Carsteain was resurrected as a servant of Nurgle while being possessed by a demon? You can bring her back as a vampire lord, also followed by a bunch of other vampires! Arguably you don’t need them since you got the Varanguard and Chaos Knights already, but at least you got options.
• Rampagers: Only reason you’re take this is for the troll factor of a near-endless movement phase. Other wise, pass.
• Skroug’s Menagerie: Want some Chaos beasts without breaking allegiance? Well here you go.
• Sons of the Lichemaster:
• Tenebrous Court:

Age of Sigmar Tactics Articles
General Tactics	Tactics Realm Of Battle Malign Sorcery Path to Glory Skirmish
Order	Cities of Sigmar Daughters of Khaine Fyreslayers Idoneth Deepkin Kharadron Overlords Lumineth Realm-Lords Seraphon Stormcast Eternals Sylvaneth
Chaos	Beasts Of Chaos Blades of Khorne Disciples of Tzeentch Hedonites of Slaanesh Maggotkin of Nurgle Skaven Slaves to Darkness
Death	Flesh-Eater Courts Nighthaunt Ossiarch Bonereapers Soulblight Gravelords
Destruction	Gloomspite Gitz Ogor Mawtribes Orruk Warclans Sons of Behemat
Others	Monstrous Arcanum Legends Old Rules