Making a Possessed Bomb using Word Bearer tactics. The Word Bearers Beginner’s Guide gave a 1000 point list with the aims of following the rule of 2 while keeping in mind budget, theme, diversity, and flexibility. The goal of the 2,000 point list will be to add command points to your army and follow up on the theme of possessed. This was a pure faction list of the true villains of the grimdark. The original list:
Word Bearer’s Patrol
- Dark Disciples x2
- Dark Apostle
- Master of Possession
- 2x Chaos Space Marines x10 Axe, Plasma Gun, Reaper Chain Cannon
- Greater Possessed x2
- Possessed x10
- Venomcrawler x2
Word Bearer’s Possessed Bomb
To get the most out of the Possessed, a Demonkin Ritualist battalion will be used. As well as a field Commander for the Warlord Trait Shepherd of the True Faith. The name of the game is still rushing forward with this army. Lacking in command points we can easily fix that by splitting the 2 10 man squads into 3 squads. However, with the addition of another box of Chaos Space Marines, they will be used for 4 basic troops with just Boltguns. Additionally, 2 Cultist squads will join to increase the army to a double battalion.
Word Bearer Demonkin Ritualist Specialist Detachment
- Dark Apostle – Apostle of the Dark Council
- Disciples x2
- Master of Possession Cursed Earth
- 3x Chaos Space Marines x5
- Greater Possessed x2 Make 1 the Field Commander
- Possessed x20 Mark of Slaanesh Icon of excess
Word Bearer Battalion
- Demon prince w/ wings & 2 Talons, Malefic Tome, Delightful Agonies, Death Hex
- Sorcerer w/ Jumpack, Force Axe & Combi-Bolter Warp Time, Prescience
- Chaos Space Marines x5
- Cultists x20
- Cultists x10
Word Bearer Spearhead
- Warpsmith
- Lord Discordant Warlord
- Obliterators Mark
- Venomcrawler x2
The Venomcrawlers and Obliterators made an easy detachment for this list. A Vanguard would have been another easy go-to to gain a command point. Just split the Greater Possessed into 2 units of 1. The Master of Possession can either be defensive or offensive in nature. The Cursed Earth Power will increase the invulnerable saves by one for daemon units. Or Sacrifice can be used to heal the vehicles. Offensively, Infernal Power allows for re-rolling 1’s to hit and wound. This will work in melee and shooting. Mutated Invigoration will allow for more consistency from the Obliterators in their shooting or the number attacks the Possessed gain. Delightful Agonies from the Chaos Space Marines Codex is harder to cast but has a 5+++ ignore damage effect. The increased difficulty to cast is why it is on the Demon Prince with the Malefic Tome.
What are Word Bearer tactics doing for you?
The Dark Apostle can now know and make 2 prayers. Benediction of darkness for the -1 to be hit. Combined with Soul bearer Portent for +1 to wound. Word Bearer Possessed can then add 1 to the damage of their weapons using the Revere Hosts stratagem. The Malefic Tome is a Word Bearer Relic. It’s great to have on the Demon Prince in order to know an additional psychic power.
Think of a Psychic power that is useful to have but may be difficult to cast and not always needed. Death Hex. Now with that relic, it’s cast with a +1 but the bearer can also know something else. Of course, if a Word Bearer fails to cast their psychic power, they can super cast it with the Malevolent Covenant. It still goes off, can not be denied and the caster only takes 1 mortal wound. Nothing like failing a Warp Time with your army hanging out in the wind. If the psyker happens to be the Warlord with the Diabolist warlord trait he would ignore that mortal wound and any other on a 3+++.
The Word Bearer Tactics for the Disco Lord
A Lord Discordant can take Sacrilegious Regeneration. The additional wound is a perk as he can already be targeted. But now he heals D3+1 at the start of the turn. With the Word Bearer relic Crown of the Blasphemer, it now has +1 to its invulnerable save. If Curse Earthed is in effect, your Lord Discordant would have a 3++ invulnerable save. The stratagem Hexagrammatic Ward can take a save and make it a 6.
Think of taking a failed save that is doing a lot of damage and now you have passed. Volcano cannon to the face, 6 shots, 4 hits because of Vengeance for Cadia and 4 wounds. You save half before using the stratagem and you have a re-roll for a 50% chance to live. Even if you do fail it, the max damage a Volcano Cannon can do is 12 but you already gained an additional wound with the warlord trait.
Word Bearer Tactics Pure Folly
Taking a pure army isn’t usually competitive. Chaos has a lot of abilities that work across the factions. So there is that limitation with running pure. For example, in order to get the Slaanesh Possessed to advance and charge you would need Quicksilver Swiftness, the detachment bonus form a Slaanesh Chaos Daemons Detachment. If you wanted, you can squeeze in some reinforcement points to make use of Word Bearer Summoning. A Slaanesh Herald would have an Aura for +1 Strength but still wouldn’t have the detachment bonus you are looking for. The Infernal Enrapturess is important to stop units from falling back. This is even more important for your word bearer army lacking the means to advance in charge. You’ll want to wrap and trap units that deploy to close first turn one and make your way up the battlefield. Don’t be afraid to set aside a pure army.
If you wanted, you can squeeze in some reinforcement points to make use of Word Bearer Summoning. A Slaanesh Herald would have an Aura for +1 Strength but still wouldn’t have the detachment bonus you are looking for. The Infernal Enrapturess is important to stop units from falling back. This is even more important for your word bearer army lacking the means to advance in charge. You’ll want to wrap and trap units that deploy to close first turn one and make your way up the battlefield. Don’t be afraid to set aside a pure army.
Trim the Fat
Shift the spearhead to one of the battalions. Split the 20 man cultist blob into 2 minimum cultist squads. Drop one Greater Possessed, the Warpsmith, and a squad of space marines. Finally, you have space for a supreme Command. The Infernal Enrapturess and two Heralds of Slaanesh. The Warpsmith is nice to heal the Daemon Engines. So if you kept it, a patrol of a Daemonettes and a Herald would be your other option before dropping the original Marines in the list for even more cultist. At which point, you could take a Supreme Command of 3 Heralds of Slaanesh.
You can catch a previous Word Bearer Battle Report Here.
This is how you get a free army list designed for you!
If you’d like the Nights Team to give you a free Army List designed for you free of charge click this link to schedule a time with one of our team members: https://nightsatthegametable.youcanbook.me
To talk to the Nights at the Game Table team and discuss this Battle Report with them join Game Talk For Gamers https://www.facebook.com/groups/GameTalkForGamers
If you don’t know what Warhammer 40k is and how to play it check out the video that we made here just for you: https://youtu.be/mxLZ2GqN4R0
For those who already know how to play the game and you’d like a free guide that teaches you how to paint professional-looking miniatures, advanced tournament tips from a 40k World Champion, how to find more time to play, and simple methods to get cheap miniatures go here: http://bit.ly/40k-free-guide-fb
If you’d like a breakdown of the advanced tactics and strategies for all 40k armies, painting tutorials from a Golden Demon winner, secret battle reports, and tons more consider becoming a Nights at the Game Table Member today. Click on this link to learn more: http://bit.ly/nights-40k-members-fb
As always thanks for reading!
Special thanks to Games Workshop for the use of their images and for making the best game ever!
