Starting a Thousand Sons army

[PiñaColada]

Greetings all! 

With the release of the new codex and my other army finally starting to really take shape I'm pretty sure that my next army will be the thousand sons.
Overall I think this codex is looking fairly strong, and I really like the models and fluff around it.

My line of thinking for the army is that it'll be more infantry focused, because I really like the infantry models and because my other army is a lot more vehicle focused.

 

I don't like to play with named characters so the HQ's would consist of exalteds, a daemon prince and a terminator sorcerer.

Some people here seem to be somewhat down on the rubricae but in my opinion they seem fine, they might not be the absolute best unit in the game but they're a very solid all-rounder I think. And the models are amazing.

The Tzaangors all seem really good and I'm one of those people who quite like the models too so I'll probably end up fielding quite a few of them. Thinking about 2x30 of them, with a shaman and 2 groups of enlightened (one with spears, one with bows) and a Mutalith since it's a good force multiplier.

 

Where I personally struggle with my potential list building is how to handle flyers. I'm not of the opinion that we (I get to say that now, right?) have weak anti tank capabilities, but most of them are hard hitting close combat options. Daemon engines have poor ballistic skill so hitting stuff like alaitoc hemlocks is really difficult and charging them is suicide. So what tips do you guys have for that? I'd prefer to stay completely Thousand sons, non forge world, but I'm open to all suggestions.

Also, I'm really digging the little backstory you get on Sect of the Red Echo from the codex but some quick googling didn't really get me any additional info on them, is there a place to read more or are they basically unknown?

Thanks in advance guys
 

[Prot]

Well if you're playing for fun, the army will do you fine. There's nothing wrong with the build you intend, I think you'll have fun.

 

On flyers; personally I enjoy the Baledrake, but it probably could be replaced by a lot of more... efficient options.

On Daemon engines: It's a struggle. There's a balance between enjoying your list and not becoming too frustrated. A lot of codex have incredibly exceptional shooting. Meanwhile all Daemon engines, as you note, are usually shooting on BS 5 if they move. Ironically, you have to baby sit them with good support to have this work. It's definitely a labour of love thing. Other armies just shoot better from anti-tank type weapons. This is where I lean heavily on Mortal wounds which is VERY difficult with the amount of chaff in 40K. It's a juggling game. 

 

The background makes this army for me... well that and the models. I hope you stick it out and enjoy the journey. :tu:

[Sonoftherubric21]

Welcome to the Coven!  Somewhat Quick/Dirty overview....

 

As a whole the current book is quite good, in many respects.  There are definitely some design issues that have caused a headache but overall its a very good book from both a Casual and Competitive perspective. 

 

(4 games so far with it, 3 wins, 1 loss, Semi-competitive meta for the most part somewhere between Casual and Competitive in scale, Obsessive memorization front to back of that book.....I have a problem...) 

 

Alot of variable list builds from us work.  We do daemon engines best of any chaos army in the game bar none. We can spam marines if we want lots of "all is dust" figures on the table (I call that list "March of the ashen dead" and I love it so far), we can do goat spam and be "beast masters" if we like a list like that, I personally have a list that features all daemon engines and walkers either with 20 Scarab Occult, or 40-50 Rubrics in a 2k list with 3-5 Daemon Engines depending. 

 

You can take tzaangors and cultists and flood the board while having a coven of sorcerers behind them fling hate across the field at ranges other psykers cant do. You can do a tread-head or walker list (especially if using Forgeworld additions such as contemptors, sicarans and other such units).  Its a fairly open list that is capable of adapting to ALOT of cirustmances due to our HQ's being competent in basically every respect.  I personally Love Exalted and will argue their merits all day long, Daemon princes even with wings are incredibly point effective and capable especially in our list (best DP's in the game arguably), basic budget sorcerers for us got a substantial buff over basic chaos ones, as did our Terminator Sorcerers. (Familiars FTW!) 

 

So yeah; all in all its a pretty great list, not to much wrong with it aside from rubrics being a hair overcosted.  The rest of its competent our just straight up good. 

Edited February 4, 2018 by Sonoftherubric21

[Raven1]

I would not run enlightened in minimum squads T4 6+/5++ is a bit squishy. I would combine into 6 or get a third box for 9 and run them with one weapon option preferably the fatecaster greatbows but the others can work well.

 

I know your dont want to run named HQ, butt Ahriman is just a steal for his points. I would think it over before excluding him.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Raven1

[PiñaColada]

What a pleasant reception!

 

So Prot, do you think the baledrake is worth it? It seems a bit underwhelming to me for the points.

I personally think that there's real merit in a "horde style" Thousand sons list, my meta is just like yours Sonoftherubric, semi competitive so it'd have to be pretty decent in order to not get run over. 

However, as you said Raven1, Ahriman is a fantastic upgrade over an exalted but for me personally that doesn't matter. I just dislike the idea of playing named characters (though I don't bemoan someone else for doing so) I was also thinking of doing 6 enlightened with bows and 3 with spears. The spear ones would accompany the daemon prince and possibly soak up overwatch as well.

[Sonoftherubric21]

What a pleasant reception!

 

So Prot, do you think the baledrake is worth it? It seems a bit underwhelming to me for the points.

 

I personally think that there's real merit in a "horde style" Thousand sons list, my meta is just like yours Sonoftherubric, semi competitive so it'd have to be pretty decent in order to not get run over. 

 

However, as you said Raven1, Ahriman is a fantastic upgrade over an exalted but for me personally that doesn't matter. I just dislike the idea of playing named characters (though I don't bemoan someone else for doing so) I was also thinking of doing 6 enlightened with bows and 3 with spears. The spear ones would accompany the daemon prince and possibly soak up overwatch as well.

 

Our "decent" lists are fairly easy to come across luckily, we have good options all across the book in basically every slot. 

 

Enlightened are great, due to being relatively cheap, with great damage output...However they are VERY fragile. VERY VERY fragile. 

 

By this I mean that a basic tactical marine (let alone several) stands a decent chance of killing a disc enlightened in a 1v1. 3 man units only work if your spamming MSU enlightened, other then that take a bit unit and drop either Weaver of Glamour on them (+1 invul or -1 to be hit, respectively) and that would keep the unit alive long enough to get its job done.  

 

I own 6 bow enlightened and them with a prince/exalted and a Shaman baby sitting really makes for a potent unit, I have them pin cushion targets, and minus character its a very in expensive module supporting the army on the flank, usually its a denied flank by the end of it. DO NOT send them up the middle and expect them to win, they are a harassment / objective capper unit.  Not a mainline combat unit. 

[PiñaColada]

Yeah, the enlightened are super squishy (a leman russ is basically the bane of their existence with plenty of shots that wound on 2's and d3 damage)but they're also really cheap pointswise. Shame that cannot be said for actual money. 

What you're saying makes sense though, that was already sort of my plan with them. Quick question though, if I advance with the greatbows then their guided by fate ability cannot trigger correct? Since it's minus one to hit making a 6+ impossible without other modifiers

[Skerr]

Welcome PinColada. As you've likely read there are a lot of bright people on these threads and are sure to get a diverse collection of responses of value sure to get your creative going. I have learned a lot from the posters here.

 

Your foundation is good, i usually gravitate to a mix of DP, Ahriman and or exalted, min 10 rubes, min 5 SOT, min 20 tzangoors. That's my base and i play around with the rest depending on my opponant, if i need a single TAC list for multiple opponents or for fun. I may add more more rubrics or sots or might go preds and brutes.

 

I picked up a shaman for the rerolls to goats and extra spell caster. My opinion is the Spellcasters as the the stars so pack as many as u can. Everything else while vital is a supporting role to the spell casters.

 

I plan 2 boxes of enlighted doing 3 of each load out and then adding more over time to each.

 

I also want a MVB as well and some spawn. There are some Helforged kits i want to add to switch it up every so often. And then deamons both engines and the others.

 

We have so many options, nuances, subtleties, etc... that a lot of lists have great potential for fun. There are a lot of interesting reports to be read and book stories, insights, lessons learned.

 

Its actually hard for me to keep up as i was studying our lore the last 24 hours, lol.