Age of Darkness Starter Series Pt 16: Word Bearers

In this ongoing series we present an accessible and thematic starting list for each of the 18 Space Marine Legions. Each list utilizes the Age of Darkness starter set as a foundation from which to build a 2,000 point list using as few additional components as possible from readily available official plastic kits.

To build this force yourself you’ll need:
1 Age of Darkness Starter Set

Just like the old saying goes, “Erebus did nothing wrong.” Wait, I’m being told Erebus did quite a lot wrong, actually, and so did all the other Word Bearers. Look, despite the fact that the name of the game/war is the Horus Heresy, if you really want to play the bad guys, pound for pound on sheer bastarditude you can’t beat the Word Bearers, and conveniently enough, this starter list will get you dabbling in the infernal without a single additional kit beyond the Age of Darkness starter!

As is so often the case with armies built from the AoD box set, the Word Bearers are not well primed to use either of their unique Rites of War, making Pride of the Legion the optimal choice for a starter army using these models. However, the XVII has some fun tricks that apply well to this force. Your two characters both benefit nicely from the Burning Lore upgrade, turning both of them into psykers with access to the unique Diabolist psychic discipline. The potential buffs they can gain from this discipline’s “A Dark and Terrible Power” ability gives your praetor and consul a significant bonus to Strength and Toughness which can prove decisive when fighting enemy characters. The additional Hellfire psychic weapon is a very strong template weapon capable of clearing out a good number of power armor marines, or even putting some wounds on Terminators thanks to its Rending 6+ and Deflagrate abilities.

Finally, both of these characters have the Dark Channelling upgrade, giving them Fear (1) along with immunity to Fear, themselves. This is a minor upgrade, but important to take because doing so means they can be attached to any units that also have Dark Channelling without neutralizing those benefits. Your Praetor also has the Iconoclast warlord trait, giving him and his entire unit +1 attack when locked in combat with an enemy unit containing an independent character, Legion vexilla, or a Legion standard. All those attacks can really add up, especially when combined with bonus attacks gained from a charge, making him a strong choice to lead your terminators in their spartan while the centurion attaches to a tactical squad. That Terminator squad will probably provide your best opportunity for the Legion’s unique Glorious Martyrdom advanced reaction, as well.

From here, your two tactical squads along with the terminators are all Line troops in this Rite of War, meaning you can press hard on objectives with all three of your major forces. And again, the tactical squads enjoy Fear (1) from the Dark Channeling ability, giving you a critical edge when inflicting leadership tests on their enemies. As usual with armies in our starter series a lascannon armed dreadnought and the spartan provide your heaviest hitting long ranged weaponry, so choose their targets carefully. Finally, a piece of Legion-specific wargear, the warpfire pistol, is thrown around where possible, giving you more chances to inflict Pinning tests that may well benefit from the reduced Leadership caused by all the Fear your Dark Channelling units can generate.

For the Primordial Truth!

++ 1. Crusade Force Organisation Chart (LA – XVII: Word Bearers) [1,993Pts] ++

Allegiance: Traitor

XVII: Word Bearers

+ Rite of War: +

Rite of War: Pride Of The Legion

+ HQ: [322Pts] +

Centurion [137Pts]
. Diabolist [112Pts]: Artificer Armour, Dark Channeling [25Pts], Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Refractor Field
. . Power Weapon [25Pts]: Tainted Blade [10Pts]
. . Volkite Serpenta [2Pts]
. Diabolist [25Pts]: Psychic Discipline: Diabolism

Praetor [185Pts]: Iconoclast, Warlord
. Legion Praetor [185Pts]: Artificer Armour, Frag Grenades, Iron Halo, Krak Grenades, Master of the Legion
. . Burning Lore [25Pts]: Psychic Discipline: Diabolism
. . Power Weapon [25Pts]: Tainted Axe [10Pts]
. . Warpfire Pistol [15Pts]

+ Elites: [245Pts] +

Contemptor Dreadnought Talon [245Pts]: Dark Channeling [25Pts]
. Contemptor Dreadnought [220Pts]: Atomantic Deflector, Gravis Lascannon [20Pts], Gravis Power Fist with in-built ranged weapon, Havoc Launcher [10Pts], Warpfire Blaster [15Pts]

+ Troops: [1,426Pts] +

Tactical Squad [293Pts]: Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Power Armour
. Legion Tactical Sergeant [25Pts]: Bolter, Lightning Claw [10Pts], Power Armour, Warpfire Pistol [15Pts]
. 16x Legionary [192Pts]: 16x Bolt Pistol, 16x Bolter, 16x Chain Bayonet [32Pts]
. Legionary w/ Options: [22Pts]: Augury Scanner [10Pts], Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chain Bayonet [2Pts]
. Legionary w/ Options: [22Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chain Bayonet [2Pts], Legion Vexilla [10Pts]
. Legionary w/ Options: [22Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Chain Bayonet [2Pts], Nuncio-Vox [10Pts]

Terminator Cataphractii Squad [840Pts]: Cataphractii Terminator Armour
. Cataphractii [30Pts]: Combi-Bolter
. . Power Weapon: Power Sword
. Cataphractii [30Pts]: Combi-Bolter
. . Power Weapon: Power Sword
. Cataphractii [40Pts]: Combi-Bolter, Power Fist [10Pts]
. Cataphractii [45Pts]: Chainfist [15Pts], Combi-Bolter
. Cataphractii Sergeant w/TLC [15Pts]: Grenade Harness [5Pts], Pair of Lightning Claws [10Pts]
. Cataphractii w/Heavy Weapon (1 in 5) [50Pts]: Chainfist [15Pts], Heavy Flamer [5Pts]
. Cataphractii w/Heavy Weapon (1 in 5) [45Pts]: Heavy Flamer [5Pts], Power Fist [10Pts]
. 3x Cataphractii w/Lightning Claws [120Pts]: 3x Pair of Lightning Claws
. Land Raider Spartan [410Pts]
. . Land Raider Spartan [410Pts]: 2x Lascannon Destroyer, Flare Shield [50Pts], Hull (Front) Mounted Hunter-Killer Missile [5Pts], Hull (Front) Mounted Twin-linked Heavy Bolter, Legiones Astartes (X), Searchlights [5Pts], Smoke Launchers

++ Total: [1,993Pts] ++