By Phil Marshall

My list

Allegiance: Slaves to Darkness
– Damned Legion: Knights of the Empty Throne
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Knights of the Empty Throne Varanguard x 6 (560)*
– General
– Daemonforged Blade and Warpsteel Shield
– Command Trait: Inescapable Doom
– Artefact: Grasping Plate
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
Knights of the Empty Throne Varanguard x 6 (560)**
– Daemonforged Blade and Warpsteel Shield
– Artefact: Corrupted Nullstone
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
Chaos Sorcerer Lord (135)**
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Spell: Mask of Darkness
Chaos Sorcerer Lord (135)**
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Spell: Mask of Darkness

Battleline
8 x Iron Golems (75)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
8 x Iron Golems (75)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
8 x Iron Golems (75)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
8 x Iron Golems (75)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch

Units
1 x Mindstealer Sphiranx (95)*

Behemoths
Chaos Warshrine (215)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Prayer1: Universal Prayer Scripture: Heal

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Command Entourage – Magnificent

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 124
Drops: 4

How it works

Knights of the Empty Throne – How does it work? In Knights of the Empty Throne, you are able to take Varanguard as Heroes, the first unit which is your general has Inescapable Doom and Grasping plate, meaning it can pile 6 inches and you cant retreat from this unit, the other unit has Corrupted Nullstone which is an auto unbind. The list is designed around two units of six Varanguard with the Mark of Tzeentch which allows the re-rolls of 1s to armour saves and gives units a 5+ spell ignore. Then you’ll look to really capitalise on these mechanics with other buff pieces in the army, which include two Sorcerer lords. Sorcerer lords have a built in mechanic called Orcular Visions which gives a unit +1 to save (this ability can stack), they are also wizards so offer the ability to cast mystic shield, demonic power (re-roll all hits and wounds) and mask of darkness (teleport). The final buff piece is the Warshrine, the prayer for Tzeentch is +1 save and a 4+ spell ignore, the only other prayer that may be used is Undivided which allows a unit to re-roll all hits and wounds. On top of this the Warshrine has an aura of 6+ ward which degrades as it takes damage. With all of these buff pieces it allows you to essentially make an unkillable unit (or two) of Varanguard. You can get +6 to your save re-rolling 1s once per game (oracular visions twice, mystic shield, Tzeentch Prayer, all out defence and finest hour), on top of this you can have a 4+ 5+ 5+ spell ignore as the Varanguard have a warscroll ability for spell ignore, mark of tzeentch grants spell ignore and then an additional spell ignore from the warshrine. As a result there are very few things that can deal with these units once they have the buffs on, you need to be able to do mass mortal wounds in the shooting and combat phase, otherwise there is a strong likelihood that you will never do any damage to this unit. I tend to evaluate the main threats of my opponents army and see how they have deployed, if I can capatalise on getting my general into the bulk of it and keeping them locked in combat for as long as possible. The rest of the list is designed to be very hard to kill with four units of iron golems who get +1 to their save if they havent made a normal move, meaning before rend they will be a 3+ re-rolling 1s.

Game 1 vs Ben Godbold – Slaves to Darkness – Silksteel Nests – Win 32-10

Ben’s List

Army Faction: Slaves to Darkness
– Army Type: Despoilers
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumph: Inspired

LEADERS
Chaos Lord on Karkadrak (225)**
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne
– Artefacts of Power: Helm of Many Eyes
Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince (210)**
– General
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne
– Command Traits: Paragon of Ruin
– Hellforged Sword and Malefic Talons
– Artefacts of Power: Doombringer Blade
Chaos Sorcerer Lord (135)**
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Spells: Mask of Darkness
Bloodsecrator (125)***
Sigvald (205)***

BATTLELINE
Chaos Knights (340)*
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne
– Cursed Lance and Chaos Runeshield
Chaos Marauders (180)*
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne
– Barbarian Axe and Darkwood Shield
Untamed Beasts (70)***
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne
Untamed Beasts (70)***
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne

OTHER
Varanguard (280)*
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne
– Fellspear and Warpsteel Shield
Iron Golems (75)***
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
Iron Golems (75)***
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch

CORE BATTALIONS
*Bounty Hunters
**Command Entourage – Magnificent
***Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: 1990/2000

This game was relatively straight forward, it was a honed Slaves to Darkness list against a variety of different slaves units in the Mark of Khorne. If you are familiar with slaves to darkness over the last two season you will know Tzeentch looks to keep your stuff alive. It was Ben’s first ever tournament and got unlucky pairing this round 1. Ben sent 3 Varanguard, Sigvald, Chaos lord on Karkadrak and khorne Deamon Prince into my general who had all their buffs up. At the end of combat, I had taken zero damage and everything that had gone against it had died, with the Varanguard using their once per game ability to pile in and fight twice. At the end of turn 3, Ben had lost all of units and I had lost 6 iron golems.

Game 2 vs Michael Lowis – Beasts of Chaos – Won’t Back Down – Win 28-17

His List

Allegiance: Beasts of Chaos
– Greatfray: Gavespawn
– Grand Strategy: Protect the Herdstone
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Tzaangor Shaman of Beasts of Chaos (135)*
– General
– Command Trait: Unravelling Aura
– Lore of the Twisted Wilds: Tendrils of Atrophy
Beastlord (95)**
– Artefact: Mutating Gnarlblade
Great Bray-Shaman (100)*
– Artefact: The Knowing Eye
– Lore of the Twisted Wilds: Vicious Stranglethorns
Great Bray-Shaman (100)*
– Lore of the Twisted Wilds: Wild Rampage

Battleline
10 x Tzaangors of Beasts of Chaos (175)****
– 10x Pair of Savage Blade
10 x Tzaangors of Beasts of Chaos (175)****
– 10x Pair of Savage Blade
10 x Tzaangors of Beasts of Chaos (175)****
– 10x Pair of Savage Blade
10 x Ungors (65)*
– Mauls & Half-Shields
10 x Ungors (65)**
– Mauls & Half-Shields

Units
6 x Tzaangor Enlightened on Disc of Beasts of Chaos (360)***
– Reinforced x 1
3 x Tzaangor Enlightened on Disc of Beasts of Chaos (180)***
3 x Tzaangor Enlightened on Disc of Beasts of Chaos (180)***
10 x Ungor Raiders (80)**
1 x Cockatrice (110)**

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Vanguard
***Bounty Hunters
****Expert Conquerors

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 1 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 167
Drops: 14

Beasts of Chaos is usually a very bad match up for my list due to the board control that they can obtain through summoning as well as the amount of rend that they get on turn 3. There is only one way to play this match up and that is aggressive, you need to do as much damage as you can by turn 3 and see how you can stay in the game. I decided that I would screen out all the board edge of my territory to ensure nothing could be summoned behind me and let my Varanguard focus on heading down the middle of the table. I managed to get the double one into turn which allowed me to clear screens turn 1 and then get both units of VG with even stacks – both +2 to their saves. My General managed to tag 12 enlightened and 30 tzaangor meaning I had them locked where I needed them. In the two subsequent combat phases, I managed to take all of this off at the expense of 3 Varanguard across both units. At this point, I had the board control and was up on points with easy battle tactics left to do.

Game 3 vs Max Barton – Maggotkin of Nurgle – Prize of Gallet – Win 22-15

His List

Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
– Subfaction: Drowned Men
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Lord of Blights (150)*
– General
– Command Trait: Infernal Conduit
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of Malignance: Rancid Visitations
Orghotts Daemonspew (320)*

Battleline
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (250)*
– 1x Dolorous Tocsin
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (250)*
– 1x Dolorous Tocsin
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (250)*
– 1x Dolorous Tocsin
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (250)*
– 1x Dolorous Tocsin
4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (500)*
– 2x Dolorous Tocsin
– Reinforced x 1

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 1970 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 1 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 117
Drops: 1

So we had a Team England face off to finish day one. This game was a chess match for the first 1.5 turns with staying out of threat ranges and not really engaging each other. I had won priority from 1 into 2 and gave it to Max to allow me the opportunity at the double turn 2 into 3, which I did. In my turn 2 my general burnt their once per game fight twice and managed to take off 4 flies. With the double I decided to risk it and mask of darkness my general down the board and risk the 9 inch charge, knowing if I make it the bulk of Max’s army is locked in combat the rest of the game. We made the charge and there went any chance of Max being able to do require damage. The all fly nurgle list is so reliant on the impact hits to damage to the Varanguard.

Game 4 vs Marc Brookes – Maggotkin of Nurgle – Nidus Paths – Loss 24-25

His List

Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
–Subfaction: Blessed Sons
-Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
-Triumphs:

Leaders
Bloab Rotspawned (320)
–Lore of Malignance: Gift of Disease
Great Unclean One (495)
–General
-Plague Fall & Massive Bilesword
-Command Trait Nurgling infestation
-Artefact The Witherstave
-Universal Spell Lore Flaming Weapon
Orghotts Daemonspew (320)
Gutrot Spume (170)
Morbidex Twiceborn (320)

Battleline
10 x Rotmire Creed (125)*
10 x Rotmire Creed (125)*
10 x Rotmire Creed (125)*

Core Battalions
*Expert Conquerors

Total: 2000/2000
Reinforced Units: 0/4
Allies: 0/400
Wounds: 95
Drops: 8

Again this was a very cagey game for the first 1.5 turns. I was looking for an opportunity to pin bloab, great unclean one, Orghotts and Morbidex. This came in my turn 2 and despite having all my save stacks, the mortal wound out put was obnoxious, the great unclean ones version of the stomp 4 MWs, stomp D3 MWs, disease with the witherstave being on a 3+ and ward saves of a 6 doing a MW back to me. Kept them locked for long enough but the game was very close and slowly away from me. I had to play for the double 4 into 5 to have a chance at winning the game but at the same time risk losing if I don’t get priority. So what was required, if I complete my grand strat I win, 3 Varanguard go into 10 rotmire creed, fighting twice, failed to kill them, grand strat failed. Nurgle final turn had to kill my warshrine with Gutrot Spume with 7 wounds left, couldn’t make a save and lost by 1VP.

Game 5 vs Sam Barker – Stormcast Eternals – Close the Chest – Win 32-22

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals
– Stormhost: Hammers of Sigmar (Scions of the Storm)
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

LEADERS
Knight-Draconis (300)
Lord-Celestant on Stardrake (500)
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic – Celestine Hammer
– Artefact: Arcane Tome
– Mount Trait: Scintillating Trail
– Spell: Celestial Blades

UNITS
4 x Dracothian Guard Fulminators (460)*
2 x Stormdrake Guard (340)*
– Drakerider’s Lance
2 x Stormdrake Guard (340)*
– Drakerider’s Lance

CORE BATTALIONS
*Bounty Hunters

ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS
Holy Command: Steadfast March

TOTAL: 1940/2000
WOUNDS: 89
ALLIES: 0/400
REINFORCED UNITS: 1/4
DROPS: 5

This match up again is usually pretty dicey for the Slaves to Darkness as all it takes is the dragons to spike on their breath, unfortunately for Sam he rolled terribly for these. I knew it was bad but I thought I would take every opportunity granted to me. Sam made a bit of a misplay by bringing down his fulminators turn 1 to try and take of my screens for the dragons to captalise on later in the game. I decided to put +2 save onto my non general unit with all re-roll hits and wounds, masked them down the board to try and take off the storm drake and then auto ran my general to be with 6” of his fulminators and opted to not re-deploy. I made the charge with my non general unit of Varanguard killing the stormdrake and then piled in 6” into fulminators taking them all off as well. I won prior and gave it away looking for a better double later on. My turn 2 I managed to take off the remaining four dragons and he was left with Knight Draconis. I failed to win another priority which meant I was chasing Draconis around the board for 3 turns till he finally succumbed in turn 5.