Today we’ll be looking at the Army of Dark Compliance theme from Book 6. For any who are unfamiliar, this is an army theme that represents a token force of traitor astartes that have yolked a force of militia to their cause. You can’t take a Rite of War with such a force, but with your compulsory units made of cheap, squishy militia, you really don’t need one. This theme really is the best of both worlds in that it allows you to pick and choose the choicest astartes units and characters without worrying about filling your mandatory troop slots with tac squads or having a character with Master of the Legion. I’ve written two lists with this theme, the first of which is a Word Bearers force with some nasty surprises worked into the list.
HQ:
Warmonger Consul + power fist + artificer armor 125 pts
Chaplain + refractor field + melta bombs 100 pts
Force Commander + Alchem-Jackers + Abhuman Helots + melta bombs 125 pts
Elites:
Gal Vorbak Dark Brethren + 5x Dark Brethren + (Dark Martyr)Artificer Armor and Power Fist 375 pts
3x Techmarines + rad grenades + 11x servitors + missile launchers with rad missiles 557 pts
Medicae Detachment + 40 pts
Troops:
Infantry squad + frag grenades + vexilla + (sergeant)melta bombs 75 pts
Infantry squad + frag grenades + vexilla + (sergeant)melta bombs 75 pts
Infantry squad + frag grenades + vexilla + (sergeant)melta bombs 75 pts
Fast Attack:
Javelin Speeder Squadron + 2x javelin speeders + 3x multi-melta + 6x Hunter Killer Missiles 225 pts
Outrider Squad + 3x Outriders + twin-linked plasma guns + melta bombs 360 pts
Heavy Support:
Sicaran Arcus Strike Tank + skyspear warheads 220 pts
Heavy Ordinance Battery + 2x Artillery Carriage Teams + 2x crew 231 pts
Heavy Ordinance Battery + 2x Artillery Carriage Teams + 3x Medusa Guns + 2x crew 306 pts
Aegis Defense Line + Comms Array + 4x Barricades 110 pts
2999s pts
The Word Bearers aren’t particularly known for their tactical genius; but with this list I tried portraying a rising commander(the Warmonger) who, while embracing his legion’s affinity for the warp, uses the possessed and mutants as a military asset rather than an end unto itself. The idea with this list is fairly direct: hunker your artillery, armor, militia, and techmarines behind the Aegis line, or in as much cover as the board permits. You’ll be putting down 17 blast templates that are either Fleshbane or of such strength that they wound everything on 2s, and that’s not counting the Sicaran. The nice thing with the militia squads is with Alchem Jackers, even if they fail a morale check from shooting, they just go to ground instead of running away. I’ve played Austin’s militia enough times to understand what an aggravating prospect trying to shoot 60 guys out of cover really is. With the amount of firepower you’re putting down, your opponent will be forced to close with you as quickly as possible; that’s where your reserves come in.
So cards on the table here: I started this list planning to use the Sacrificial Offering ROW before I realized you can’t take ROWs in an AODC, and I wanted more militia units that an Allied detachment would allow, so here we are.
Every unit that would be held in reserve with this list, the Outriders, Javelin Speeders, and Warmonger with Gal Vorbak, can either Deep Strike or Outflank. Your assault type armies are going to have a rough time being counter-attacked by speeders and bikes pouring fire onto side and rear armor. As for the Gal Vorbak, they’re the hammer that will fall on the militia anvil. Sure, you can’t get a charge until Turn 3 at best, but that also means that your opponent has to figure out a counter for that by Turn 3 as well. By then, your enemy will have a severely reduced force to work with, one that will likely not be able to deal with a full squad of possessed marines deploying in their midst.
This next list is a Death Guard Army of Dark Compliance:
HQ:
Herald + combat shield + power fist 120 pts
Vigilator + combat shield + scout armor + melta bombs + charnabal sabre 115 pts
Cult Demagogue + Tainted Weapon + Cult Horde + Tainted Flesh + melta bombs + digital lasers 135 pts
4x Discipline Masters + melta bombs 100 pts
Elites:
Veteran Squad + 5x marines + melta bombs + 2x melta guns + 4x combi-melta(machine killers) 255 pts
Troops:
Inducted Levy Squad + 30x Levies + Close Combat Weapons + frag grenades + vexilla 120 pts
Inducted Levy Squad + 30x Levies + Close Combat Weapons + frag grenades + vexilla 120 pts
Inducted Levy Squad + 30x Levies + Close Combat Weapons + frag grenades + vexilla 120 pts
Inducted Levy Squad + 30x Levies + Close Combat Weapons + frag grenades + vexilla 120 pts
Recon Squad + 5x marines + recon armor + cameleoline + melta bombs + 9x shotguns + (sergeant)artificer armor and combi-flamer 295 pts
Recon Squad + 5x marines + recon armor + melta bombs + 9x shotguns + (sergeant)artificer armor and combi-flamer 245 pts
Heavy Support:
10x Mutant Spawn 260 pts
10x Mutant Spawn 260 pts
Lord of War:
Sub-Orbital Strike Wing-
Battle Servitor Control 45 pts
3x Thunderbolt Heavy Fighters + Ground Tracking Auguries + Flare shields 690 pts
This list is heavily fluff based towards the late-Heresy and Solar War. The idea is for a contingent of lightly armed Death Guard infiltrating a population and handing out Nurgle’s “Gifts” to the civilians, turning them to Pox Walkers and the like. There isn’t a crazy amount of anti-armor in this list, but hopefully your opponent will be distracted dealing with 200 pox walkers and 20 spawn running at them so that they wont focus fire on your marines with melta bombs. The sub-orbital wing is in keeping with the light and mobile theme of this detachment, but still has the ability to take down just about any super-heavy vehicle you’ll encounter in a 3k point game and still put down a ton of fire after they’ve launched their Kinetic Piercer missiles.
Sorry this article was so long. Thanks for your time.
