Epidemius, killing your allies for Tally of Pestilence, or "Plague Bomb"

[Igen]

I did not come up with this (saw it on Dakka Dakka). But I thought I would share it here. As GoatBoy would have a field day with this.

The idea is called "Plague Bomb" (I like to think of it as the mass sacrifice to Father Nurgle). It will use Epidemius, "Aura of Decay", and a full squad of grots as the troops choice from the allies selection. You take the max number of grots (or close to it), when you deploy them, do so deep in your zone and as close together as possible. When Epidemius drops in by them, he casts "Aura of Decay". Because they count as enemies due to Desperate Allies also using the rules for Allies of Convenience. They count as enemies for all your shooting attacks. Aura of Decay doesn't require a target for it to be cast. This means that all the grots will be wounded on a 4+ with no armor save. Cranking up the kill numbers for "Tally of Pestilence". So from your first turn, you already have a huge number of kills, probably giving you 3+ feel no pain and ignore armor on turn one. If needed, you could also drop in a greater unclean with Epidemius who also has "Aura of Decay"

My thinking is buy a Skyshield Landing pad. Place the landing pad deep in your zone. Deploy the grots onto the landing pad. When availible, Epidemius can drop onto the pad without scattering. Then cast aura of decay, and you're in business.

This was posted on Dakka Dakka originally as far as I know, Here is the Link to where I saw the tactic.

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/463220.page

[Bigred]

That is so double-crossing dirty...

Exactly why Epidemius would do it. :)

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

BAH BUB BUB BAH! What a cheap move! I love it!

[Igen]

I was also thinking that the sky shield could start with its walls up, protecting the grots from being killed if you dont go first. As the walls would greatly block LoS to them. The walls are lowered before you roll for reserves, at the start of your movement phase. The demons are in reserve, but you roll for your chosen half at the beginning of your turn, before your movement phase.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

True, you are relying on the 1st half of your list to come down 1st. Admittedly, if you had a Bloodthirster and many Bloodcrushers in the other one you wouldn't really mind which came first, just keep the Skyshields raised until Epidemius joins the fray.

[Igen]

After Epidemius gets his kills from the Aura, you could have a imperial bastion for him to retreat into. He also has a BS so he can shoot any of the guns on it. Give him a squad of plaguebearers to hang with and take wounds if the bastion gets broken, and he should last all game.

[Tzeentch's Dark Agent]

Now all I'm hearing is this (www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3n0vBcW5fc).

[thecactusman17]

This its perhaps the most brilliant idea I have heard on this tactics board since I first started posting here. Easy candidate for front page.

How does AoD work? Could this be used with other squads that are more effective?

[Igen]

I have the book in front of me, so here is the exact wording for the ability.

Aura of Decay
"The sheer presence of the Daemon can strike down enemy warriors with an invisible curse of death. Aura of Decay is a ranged weapon, but the Daemon may be in close combat at the time it uses it, as may the targets. When used, all enemy models within 6" of the Daemon automatically suffer a Strength 2 hit with AP- (roll to wound as normal)."

It acts as a ranged weapon, that is a blast, which originates from the Daemon. So he fires the weapon, centered on himself. And any Enemy models within range are hit.

With the FAQ, AoD requires LoS to hit. But it doesn't count as shooting for the unit. As the attack doesn't designate a selected target for the unit. This leads me to believe AoD is essentially a shooting attack that the Daemon fires at itself, needing LoS to hit enemies, but doesn't target them. Sense you dont designate and enemy target when it is used, you can use it when none are in range. Allies of Convenience has your main force treat allies as enemies, Allies of Desperation uses the same rule. So you have enemies in range of the ability, that you do not specifically target.

[thecactusman17]

So in short, it is what is now called a nova. Very convenient!

[bforber]

Pretty sure I'd punch somebody in the face if I saw a list like this. Seriously. Oh well, it's not anyone's fault but the people who didn't consider the idea that someone would do something like this or Fateweaver/2+ save lists.

Meh.

[GoatboyBOLS]

It's dirty - but really your Plague Bearers suck versus flyers - and yeah you just kill the flying DP's and now you jus zoom around the board doing what you want.

Still it is dirty. I really just like using Plague marines - but right now with have CSM breathing down on our necks so will see how dirty this will end up being. I am hoping for marked vehicles with cool options. That is what I want. Now to look at getting a decimator haha.

[Rev. Tiberius Jackhammer]

On the note of Epidemus-cheese, how about pairing the guy with a Servants of Decay FW army? Basically, Imperial Guard who're followers of Nurgle.

Passing his benefits on to the S4, FnP and Fearless 6pt a model Plague Zombies (who can get Furious Charge with the right special character), yeesh.

[Daemonette666]

I looked into using Servants of Decay as allies, but in the unit individual description most units do not state anywhere that they have the mark of Nurgle. Some units like the Plague Marines, and a few select units get this, but most do not. I felt the plague zombies were not a very tactical choice for most games. Sure they are cheap, but other than tying a unit down in close combat, they can not do much else. I would prefer a unit that had a shooting option.

I suppose that once you get the tally high enough, they would wound on 2+ and ignore armour saves, but using daemons, and plague zombies, the chances of you getting the tally high enough, early enough is very hard. The Zombies, can not do enough damage without the tally's bonuses. The Plague Bearers and zombies are both very slow unit types, so you need to rely on your other Nurgle forces to cause sufficient kills on the enemy. That makes the Daemon Princes and Daemon engines like the Plague Hulk and Blight Drones prime targets.

Pity you can not use allies from 2 different codexes if you have 2 primary detachments, I suppose that would create either more cheesier army list combinations, or/and even more head-aches, as gamers argue about using one ally who can not ally with the other, but both can ally with the main army, I suppose that is why GW made the rule up - allies from 1 codex only.

[Xyxel]

Page 112
Desperate Allies are treated as Allies of Convenience.
... cannot be charged, shot, targeted with psychic powers or have templates or blast markers placed over them".
Aura of Deacy is a ranged weapon.

Allies cannot be shot. It does not state that they need to be targeted to count as shoot at.
Sorry kids. Your Epidemius + grots combo is a failure.

[Tomroast]

On Page 112 it also goes on to say that "However, if a psychic power, scattering Blast weapon or other ability that affects an area hits some of these Allies of Convenience, they will be affected along with any friendly or enemy units.

In the Daemon Codex on page 75 Aura of Decay says that "When used, all enemy models within 6 inches of the Daemon automatically suffer a Strength 2 hit with AP-."

It does say that it is a ranged weapon, but since no roll to hit is needed to hit, the grots aren't being shot at. Aura of Decay is a ability that simply affects all units within 6 inches.

[Xyxel]

@ Tomroast :
flamer templates and many other ranged weapons also don't roll to hit...