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Well after having the new codex demons for nearly a week, I can say that overall I am very happy with how it looks. I especially enjoy the changes to the marks and how they are now more than just one little add on but a very colorful representation of each god's powers. Adding in the locus that the heralds can bring to the field (plus 4 heralds per HQ) and you can really customize how powerful your army is towards that god.

The new units fit in well and give the army a lot of cool options. The randomness that the warp storms and other things generate don't bother me much (even if I do roll double 1s) and look to add to the feel that this is a massive deamonic incursion in process.

The down side is that the point drop really hallows out my army. Where once I had 2,000 pnts easy, I am now struggling. That the demon prince is now an HQ (unless you have a greater demon with the same mark) and the mask is not a herald and I have a bit of an HQ problem.

I just took a very quick shufty through it, as I don't play daemons per se, but have often used them in conjunction with my CSM (even pre-6th ed, when I just asked for my opponent's permission to include plaguebearers)

my thoughts on the plaguebearers (that I often used) and epidemious (that I used a couple times)

plaguebearers - hum. A bit shafted, to the point where there's very little point in my taking them with my CSM. Decent cannon fodder, I suppose (they're now 9pts apiece, but are T4 (wtf?!?) and don't have FNP any more. I mean, huh? What exactly is the point of them, now?)

epidemious - well, he had his brief day in the sun, and is now relegated to being a useful palanquin model that comes with a free daemon paperweight mini. The tally only counts if nurgle daemons kill stuff (not "anything with the mark of nurgle") and the effects of the tally now only affect things within 6" of epi. Oh, and the effects are now stuff like...+1S. Ooooh. scary... Meh, I know he was broken before, but he's gone from overpowered to useless. Oh well, I only bought the model for the palanquin in the first place. On with the CSM lord fatboy conversion!

The above would seem to indicate I am displeased with the codex, but the brief look I've taken at the rest of it is actually pretty positive. Daemonic rivalry is back (daemons of nurgle hate daemons of tzeentch, fr example) and there's a wibbly wobbly table of fun that you roll on each turn in which odd things happen to everyone. Oh, and daemonic instability is back. If you lose a combat, roll 2D6. on a double 1 the dead daemons all come back to life. on a double 6, the whole unit disappears I actually rather approve of the level of randomness in the book.

Oh, and the flying nurglebugs are actually not half as bad as I thought they were, model-wise. Not wonderful, by any stretch, but saveable with a decent paint job. Not the rider, tho - they're boring.

Overall, my daemonic detachment has now become some cheap cannon fodder, for if I want something with marginally more surivivability than nurgle cultists or zombies. Cant think right now of when I'll need such a thing, but if I do, the daemons will be in like a whippet

the FNP is now a locus that a herald can take. so one herald plus a unit of plaguebearers get shroud and FNP. perfect for the leader +1 core ally choice

I noticed that a Soul Grinder with Mark of Nurgle behind an aegis or ruin gets a 2+ cover save from Shrouded. I predict that will be popular.

I am also liking the horrors - get a 20匹 squad with a Mastery 2 herald. Use primaris divination and primaris change on the herald. Locus of conjuration, banner of blasting. Gives you 6d6 s6ap4 shots each round, with re-rolls to hit.

Plaguebearer hordes with FNP might be a decent tar pit, but testing shows they can't hold up against a 30 boy ork mob. Then again, few things can.

I don't intend to ever collect the daemon models, but the new codex is certainly welcome. Looks like Tzeentch finally has some good options (other than the recent flamer/screamer stuff) and the other gods each have something to get excited about. People might finally try furies, too.

One thing that I have heard is that the Tzeentch Horror's shooting attack is a psychic ability now? Can anyone confirm this as I don't have the codex?

If that is true, Deny The Witch is going to be a pain for a mono-Tzeentch army.

Re: shroud on plaguebearers. Do they not get an invulnerable save anymore? If they do, then surely that reduces the value of a cover save, and if they don't, then bwah! They suck!

All daemons have a 5+ invulnerable save. The shroud is for when they have cover, making their save 3+

Naruhodo. Ta - was at work when I asked that, so no 'dex handy. Not very fluffy, is it? It's hardly a shuffling wall of implacable doom when it has to commando roll its way from tree to tree...

Pinkies now count as a brotherhood of psykers and generate charge points depending on their numbers. with their +3 to LD for psy checks, they should be alright.


MiJ: think nurglings in front, the new models are pretty tall so your plague bearers will be well protected by the little runts. Also if all you are bringing is plague bearers, you aren't employing the full joys that Papa Nurgle has to offer. I really need to find some proper models to use for beasts of nurgle. The new rules are just too much fun to resist.

So Horrors now need to take a test to use their power (and risk getting perils??) and can have their attacks stopped by deny the witch? Hmmm....