The latest Warhammer: The Horus Heresy Journal Tactica – Prospero Burns – The Judgement of Valdor – is up for pre-order this weekend, and features new rules for Daemons of Tzeentch.
We sat down with Ben from the Warhammer Studio design team to discover what new threats these daemons bring to the tabletop.
Ben: The new Journal Tactica takes us back to Prospero, where the Emperor unleashed his Custodians upon the condemned Legion of the Thousand Sons, to hold them accountable for the actions of their Primarch, Magnus.
Just one facet of the content in this Journal is an additional army list, allowing players to field a full force of Daemons of Tzeentch, or simply a small coterie of them alongside your Traitor-aligned force or existing Daemons of the Ruinstorm army. In short, a full army of Daemons may include both Tzeentch Daemons and Daemons of the Ruinstorm with certain [Ætheric Dominion] Traits,* whilst Allied Detachments of Daemons must all be selected from a list with the same [Ætheric Dominion] Trait.
The Alignment of Ruinous Powers rule affects Daemons of all kinds, meaning those with [Ætheric Dominion] Traits that are traditionally more closely aligned can take to the field alongside each other without impediment, but those that are diametrically opposed across the Star of Chaos suffer, as infighting and internal conflict are rife amongst the forces.
Daemons of Tzeentch can be taken alongside Daemons with the following [Ætheric Dominion] Traits without penalty. If any Daemons with other [Ætheric Dominion] Traits are selected, all Daemons suffer a -2 reduction to their Leadership, Cool, Willpower and Intelligence.
• Infernal Tempest
• Formless Distortion
• Encroaching Ruin
• Malevolent Artifice
Daemonforms of the Horus Heresy
Well-versed and attentive readers may well recall that previous writings on Daemonic activity during the Horus Heresy explicitly mentioned that Daemons of this era were not fully formed and usually indistinct, which is not something that has been contradicted by this Journal. However, there also existed much more specific forms of Daemon even during the later parts of the Great Crusade, but to the layman of the Imperium at the time, these forms frequently made little sense. Although here the list is explicitly titled Daemons of Tzeentch, the text of the Journal points out that this title was only one retroactively applied by the keepers of the most dangerous knowledge in the Imperium, and at the time of the Heresy itself, the Daemonforms that beset the Imperium were not fully understood as their patrons ascended to power.
New Gambit
The list itself contains a Gambit, Master of Fates, that allows a relevant follower of Tzeentch to implore the dark patron to strike down his foes with the Weapon Skill, Strength and Weapon Stats of no less than a fully-fledged Lord of Change!
New Detachment
There’s also an updated Ætheric Incursion Auxiliary Detachment, unlocked by a Traitor Esoterist or Prosperine Sorcerer, that allows the inclusion of a small but rounded Detachment of Tzeentch Daemons.
New Psychic Discipline
The Daemons of Tzeentch wouldn’t be complete without the opportunity for psychic meddling, and they can do this via the new Fateweaving discipline, which includes the wildly variable Metamorphise Psychic Curse, to apply Tactical Statuses to enemy Units. Additionally there’s the Phasewarp Power, which can be used to change solid rock to gaseous clouds or temporarily phase an entire ruined building out of the physical dimension, which in terms of rules allows Line of Sight to be drawn through certain areas of Terrain. Of course, there’s also the traditional favourite Warpshield Reaction, allowing the Target Unit a Shrouded (5+) Damage Mitigation Roll.
New Units
Included in the Army List itself are the following Units:
High Command – Ascendant Lord of Tzeentch
Command – Herald of Tzeentch
Support – Flamers of Tzeentch
Recon – Screamers of Tzeentch
Troops – Horrors of Tzeentch
Warlord – Lord of Change
True acolytes of Tzeentch will no doubt be pleased to know that, as the paths of fate diverge, so too can Pink Horrors split into two Blue Horrors upon their demise, via the special Infernal Mitosis Advanced Reaction.
New Special Rules
The Convocators Special Rule is also available to units in this army list, allowing the Controlling Player to nominate friendly Psykers as “Nodes” in order to charge up the Value of Line (X) on their own Units to dominate Objectives during relevant Missions.
New Solar Auxilia Cohort Doctrines
Solar Auxilia players need not lament as this Journal also features two new Cohort Doctrines, one representing Solar Auxilia contingents that fought alongside the Legio Custodes, and the other representing warriors of a darker ilk. Called The Fateweaver Cohort, this doctrine elevates lowly lasriflemen of the Solar Auxilia to disciples of Tzeentch. In addition, Models with the Command Sub-Type in such a Cohort gain the Psyker Trait, a subtle boon that synergises with the above mentioned Convocators Special Rule quite nicely!
* Plus, Daemons from any other Aetheric Dominion that may be introduced in the future…
