Unit Analysis by Chaos God with Mono-God Suggestions

[Dr. Paris]

This part will be integrated into my first post

Making a Mono-God Army that Works
Daemons were designed to be competitive as a mixed god army. There's no real way around this. If you're going for a list that is going to win you a tournament or league, you're probably going to have to mix it up. However, that does not mean you still can't make a winning list that will be competitive, or at least challenge, most opponents.

To that end, these are some general guidelines and ideas to help you build a good Mono-God list. Again, look to the Daemons forum or specific army lists for particulars. This is framework to help you start thinking in the right direction.

Blood for the Blood God! Mono-Khorne List

FoC Breakdown
HQ: Khorne HQ, despite how strong they are, is really best thought as "what kind of defensive counters will I need to face my opponent.". As I stated previously, Khorne HQ is the brute force of your army you need to overcome something nasty your opponent throws at you, like a couple of Wraithlords for example. These guys aren't elegant, tactical solutions to your opponents troops, they're just so big and mean they kill anything. The trick here is to not hamstring yourself on points. Two BTs cost 500 pts, or a third of your army. HoKs are a good substitute and add more attacks, but aren't the catch-all counter of a BT. It's weird to think of a BT as a defensive unit, but that's really what it is, a catch-all counter to your opponent. The spearhead of your unit is going to be....
Elite: BCs are very nasty, and should scare the crap out of your opponent. In an assualt, these guys are the tip of the spear. Because of the Eternal Warrior rule, W2, T5, and good armor, these guys make an excellent shock unit. A couple of these units carrying an icon are a good candidate for the first wave of your daemonic assault. They'll likely survive the turn of shooting mostly in tact, and even if they take heavy casualties, will still be force to be reckoned with. The icons will allow you to strategically D/S your BLs where you want them to form the second wave. Be wary of a bad BC deepstrike though. These guys move at normal speeds and cost as much as terminators. If done correctly, they will provide your foothold and anchor for the main assault.
Troops: BLs are the backbone of your force, and will probably end up doing most of the killing. You want to set these guys up such that they will take minimal casualties, and most importantly, BLs must get the charge. FC adds so much to your BL's abilities, especially against MEQs. The BL's lake of assault grenades can be an issue, so be aware of charging units in cover.
FA: If BCs are the tip of the spear, FH's are the hooked edges that get your blade dug in. As a flanking unit, heir real forte is not so much in their killing power, but in their speed. 24" charge will be vital toward tying up enemy support. Your BLs will gradually roll over an army, but if your opponent has split his force or uses small units, you'll find your BLs stranded and at the mercy of support fire. FH's can move fast enough to plug this gap. Their lack of power weapon attacks makes them less lethal though, so be aware they will not be taking down much.
HS: SGoCs are a good choice for a Khorne army. They will add badly needed fire support you won't have otherwise. DPoK aren't bad, but a herald on a chariot is really just as good and cheaper. Since you can't take shooting attacks with the MoK, DPs become redundent next to BTs. Consider these guys if you want Demonzilla.
Special Characters: Khorne has 3 characters to choose from. The Skulltaker is very costly for what he does. He was amazing in 4th Ed, but with the rending nurf, he's best left if you think you'll be facing big stuff you want to wound easily or insta-kill. Skarbrand is very costly. His power is very cool, but can hurt you as much as help you. If you want a particularly bloody game, he's a good pick, but don't expect the win. Karnak is great. He's a touch expensive, but will give a kick to your hounds, and his "Move Through Cover" rule will come in handy when your trying to make that long charge through cover to the enemy.

Mono-Khorne in Action
Daemonic Assault: It's your prerogative as always, but I feel that BC and HoK with icons, then BTs should be at the top of your list for turn 1 dropping. FH's third, and BLs last.
Battle Plan: You want the BT/BC/FH combo to tie up and distract as much of the army as possible. When your BLs come in, that's when you begin to massacre your opponent. There's really nothing as good as Khorne in hth point for point. If you can deliver your BLs into combat with 75%+ of them in tact, you will likely win the game.
Weak points: You are totally at the mercy of your opponents shooting. You can hope for a good D/S or poor rolls on his part, but ultimately, you just have to grit your teeth and weather the shooting. Hopefully the BT and FH groups will get through. Once you have your foothold, it's all over, and if you don't...it's all over. Highly mobile armies like Tau, Eldar, and Veiling Necrons can also leave you high and dry. Remember, lock your opponent down in HtH and get the charge, and you will win.

Your Desire Will be Your Downfall... Mono-Slaanesh List

FoC Breakdown
HQ: Slaanesh HQ is some of the best in the Daemon army. Both the KoS and HoS can have the hit and run ability. This allows you to selectively charge and disengage your opponents such that you can hop your way through an entire army under the cover of HtH. Aura will also be very helpful. In think in a Mono-Slaanesh army, one KoS is a must to get those MC attacks and to have something tougher out there. The HoS is a real monster in a chariot. For the price, two of them are not a bad deal at around 200 pts. Your opponent will be horrified at how good they are.
Elite: Fiends will end up being your shock units, but require more finesse than BCs. Because of the 24" charge coupled with the hit and run, Fiends should be considered units who will soften up the army enough to let the Daemonettes take over.
Troops: If your Daemonettes get to CC, they're fine, but you have to get them there first. Their frailty will mean you'll have to be very careful with how you DS them, and I would consider putting them far enough away from combat to avoid being rapid fired. As they're a little cheaper, you should be able to field more of them, and their attacks make them very good against hoard lists.
FA: Seekers are vile for what they do. These ladies will put serious hurt on your opponents flanks. Slaanesh has the best FA in the army, use them in abudence.
HS: Since all of Slaanesh has rending, high toughness isn't an issue. Slaaneshy DPs can add shooting, or Paven if you feel up to spending the points. Their toughness will also help the army. SGoC aren't as useful because the army will quickly outpace them and has enough attacks that SGoCs aren't as immediatly useful. I think DPs are a better choice due to their toughness.
Special Characters: The Masque is Slaanesh's lone special character. Her ability to paven half an army isn't bad, but compared to how obscene a regular HoS is, she's not that great in Mono-Slaanesh. DPoS can also hit with a 2+ on Paven. She's better in mixed armies that don't move as fast.

Mono-Slaanesh in Action
Daemonic Assault: You want your quick units, Fiends and Seekers, down first. With musk and aura, both units will be fine on their own with second turn charges. DPs and KoS's next. Daemonettes last. Hopefully your crab ladies won't have to worry about being shot too much at this point.
Battle Plan: You are faster, your army can hit and run and has offensive/defensive grenades, meaning you will go first and have no fear of being charged. All you have to do is deny shooting and not get outclassed by high toughness units like Plague Marines. Paven can help, but is very overpriced and weak compared to its brother in the CSM army. Like Khorn, lock up the army, then have your troops move in for the kill.
Weaknesses: Lasguns are dangerous to your units, bolters are deadly. Avoid shooting like the plague. If you get caught by even a couple of enemy units with rapid fire, your daemons will fall quickly. You're fast enough not to let this happen. Finesse will be very important in the early turns of the game.

[Dr. Paris]

Embrace Father Nurgle. Mono-Nurgle List

FoC Breakdown:
HQ: The GUC is really where it's at for Nurgle. Being the cheapest of the GDs, having Nox Tough, and FnP makes him great for his cost. All you really need is to drop the 5 pts for the off/def grenade option and you're good to go. The GUC is your standard catch-all for a Nurgle list. Nurgle suffers from a lack of killing power, and a GUC helps with this. He's also great against MCs or other very tough critters. The Herald is good for his points, and the palanquin helps a little. Heralds will add some extra power to your PB untis, but I feel that unless there's some chaos power you want, go with two GUCs.
Elite: Beasts, like the GUC, will add the attacks you want in a mono-nurgle list. While somewhat unpredictable, these guys will help you pile up the body count.
Troops: The great thing about running a mono-Nurgle list is that you get all the PBs you can handle. These guys are one of the best scoring units in the game. Fearless, with FnP and an invuln save make them incredibly difficult to kill. They're also good in kill points for the same reason. You'll want 3~4 untis in your list. Nurglings are wondeful little swarming units that can't be insta-killed. While you should be typically able to kill most thing with a Daemon army, being able to tie your opponent up with Nurglings is never a bad call.
FA: None! If you really want a flanking unit, consider Furies, though I feel they're terrible for what they do. Use only for fluff reaons.
Heavy: Nurgle DPs are great. T6 and Nox Touch are a cheap combo to add on. DPs with the MoN are considered by many to be the best type due to the T6 giving your DP much more longevity against bolter fire. This is one of the few times I'd consider giving a DP wings. Since Nurgle is all SnP, it helps them immensly to have a fast unit. SGoCs are ok, but I feel the DP really overshadows them in this case.
Special Characters: Nurgle gets 2 with Kulgath and Epidemius. I have a special section devoted to Epidemius below due to his Tally ability. Kulgath is a mixed bag. He spawns Nurglings, is a better GUC, and has Necrotic missiles, which are great. Problem is he costs almost as much as 2 GUCs. Consider for larger games.

Mono-Nurlge in Action
Daemonic Assault: My personal preference is to have the PBs drop first. With icons and their natural resilience, they should hold up and help bring down the rest of the army. GUCs next, then Beasts, and Nurglings last. Epidemius should always be held in reserve if you take him.
Battle Plan: This is a very straightforward army. You're tough, you're slow, just move toward the enemy.
Weakness: You're slow, very slow. As such, Nurgle can be easily out-maneuvered. You will also fine very strong elites tend to give Nurgle issues, especially for PBs. I've seen a Dreadnaught and a chapter master with a powerfist kill and entire unit of 20 in 4 turns of combat.

Special Note on an Epidemius List:
So this guy is unique among special characters due to his Tally, which effectively legionizes your army. While most Mono-lists I don't consider super competitive, this one is if played right. Things to keep in mind for this one is you want to get that tally up as fast as possible. One way to do that is drop 3 DPs with MoN and DGaze in the initial assault. You'll start racking up casualties very quickly. The other thing to remember is that Nurglings become gods once you reach the upper body count levels. Epidemius should be kept out of the action as much as possible. He's an ok fighter, but if he dies, the tally is over. Use DPs and GUCs to get the body count rolling, and then spam PBs and Nurglings hard to mow your opponent down. Once you hit that magical 20, your opponent will either have to run or pray for victory.

[Dr. Paris]

Ok, this last section will be over Tzeentch Mono-God armies. This is my weakest as the God of Change is not my forte. Any additional advice on Mono-Tzeentch, in particular, Horror, DP, and Herald tactics would be helpful. Thanks.

[GAX70]

Grate thread love how you keep building it

[GAX70]

Ok, this last section will be over Tzeentch Mono-God armies. This is my weakest as the God of Change is not my forte. Any additional advice on Mono-Tzeentch, in particular, Horror, DP, and Herald tactics would be helpful. Thanks.

and that is my strength fill free to pm me ill be happy to help.

[Dr. Paris]

Everything leads to change. Mono-Tzeentch Army
Special Note on Tzeentch: Tzeentch armies are not my forte. This is complied by lurking on the forum and advice by other people. I also consider Mono-Tzeentch to be possibly the toughest mono-god army to play. Hope this helps, but take it with a grain of salt.

FoC Breakdown
HQ: LoCs are like a giant MC gunboat in my mind. They come kitted out with enough powers and speed to put a lot of nasty firepower into just about anything. Consider for these guys BoC, BoM, and maybe WaL if you want to be able to shoot at multipul units. Watch the points cost. LoCs are the weakest of the 4 GDs and cost just as much as a Bt. Heralds give you more mobility and the same amount of shooty for the price. These guys work well on disks or chariots and allow you additional spells. In your mono-god list, if you go heavy on DPs, HoTs are a good choice, otherwise you'll want/need a LoC.
Elite: Flamers are a phenomenal Tzeentch unit. This will provide you the MEQ killing you need to do well. Because of their cost and the way these guys DS, you want to consider small groups so your BoC templates can all be used, or large groups for power and survivability. I wouldn't go mid-sized. You'll always want to max out your elites with at least 3 squads of 3 flamers. They're too good to pass up and give you MEQ (and 2+ armor) killing you won't have otherwise.
Troops: So horrors are a tough unit to use as the backbone of your force. This is what makes Mono-Tzeentch difficult. These guys are more support than core. That being said, you do have the advantage of being able to DS and stay on objectives while still shooting. If you place some objectives strategically in the open, your Horrors will be able to hold them (due to their lovely 4+) and create a wonderful no man's land for your opponent. You need your horrors to always be more than 12" away, otherwise you'll be assaulted or rapid fired to death. Don't be afraid to retreat with these guys, you want to maximize the firepower they're putting out. BoT is a good choice if you feel that screamers won't be enough, but otherwise leave it at home.
FA: Screamers are your anti-tank, pure and simple. Use them as an insurance plan against armor. Be aware that you'll need 6's to hit walkers, so bring an MC for that. Also, with screamers, you can forgo using BoT, which is an expensive spell.
HS: This, in my opinion, is the section that will make or break you Tzeentch list. You need something to serve as a meat shield and hth counter. Unlike the other armies, Tzeentch cannot fight well in hth, and a DP is your only affordable recourse here. Shooty DPs are also good, consider BoM and DGaze, just keep them below 150 pts. You want quantity, not quality with them.
Special Characters: Tzeentch has 3, and they're all pretty good. The Fateweaver can make an army. If he is flanked by a gibbering hoard of Horrors, you will have an amazing shooty army. If he gets shot and bolts, you're out a lot of points. Blue Scribes are unpredictable, but fun and well priced for all the spells they possess. Good with a squad of horrors. The Changling is a must. He's dirt cheap and has a cool power. Always take him unless you have an aversion to special characters.

Mono-Tzeentch in Action
Daemonic Assault: Unlike the rest of the gods, Tzeentch armies are able to deal damage on the turn they drop. So what you choose isn't so important as how you place it. Bad scatters can put you in hth or rapid fire range. Try to get your horrors in that sweet 12~18" range. Flamers you want as close as you feel comfortable. The rest can be dropped at range with no issue. I'd say what you choose is dependent on the opponent. Hoarde armies are going to want the horrors down first, MEQs may require the MCs. I think Flamers are always a good candidate for a first turn drop as they can decimate fire support squads and force your opponent to deal with them rather than the bulk of your force. They're a good bait and switch, and the bait has one hell of bite.
Battle Plan: More than any other army, you have to be think very tactically and look ahead a few turns (very Tzeentchy) . The trick will be keep your opponent from assaulting your horrors and getting max damage from your flamers. The horrors have enough firepower to whittle down your opponent, and flamers do more damage the long they are around. Your screamers have set mission. If you take gunboat MCs, use them carefully. They can do a lot of damage, but die just as fast. Some things to consider are spamming Boon. If you have 5 or 6 models that can cast it, you can drop Chaos spawn left and right. Very useful.
Weak points: Tzeentch is the most ancillary of the gods. His units are really designed to shoot and soften up your opponent for the other Daemons. Using him straight means you have to be very clever with how you use this army, otherwise it will fall apart quickly. This is a challenging list to play, but it will definitely make you a better player.

[Dr. Paris]

I've posted my tactica as one post here. After I get it tooled up, there I'll bring the final version back to this forum.

[sirisaacnuton]

Weak points: Tzeentch is the most ancillary of the gods. His units are really designed to shoot and soften up your opponent for the other Daemons. Using him straight means you have to be very clever with how you use this army, otherwise it will fall apart quickly. This is a challenging list to play, but it will definitely make you a better player.

One way to fix this problem without breaking the mono-god build is to take some Soul Grinders. They can take a lot of punishment, can wade into the thick of things and really dish it out, and can direct a lot of the heavier fire away from your HQs.

[Dr. Paris]

I thought about that, but my thinking is you'd want something to split your opponent's small arms between your horrors and something else. You opponent will just target his anti-tank against your soul grinder, but if he has to shoot at a DP, you can draw away bolter fire.

SGoC certainly aren't a bad choice though, I'll think on it.

[Dr. Paris]

So the tactics section isn't much help, I'm posting the thing in it's entirety on the next page, enjoy.