N18 Slaanesh Helot Cults beginner question

[League]

Hello, everyone.

Yesterday, I was lucky to play a skirmish game of Necromunda with my friend. He has Dark Uprising and I tried CGC. It was really cool but I didn't really like the aesthetic of it. It was a real blast, so I started converting Slaanesh Helot Cults using my Warcry Khainite Shadowstalkers. After reading a lot of different guides, topics, watching youtube videos I finally got the idea of the gang I want to make. The only thing I cant come up with is how to make a proper melee slaanesh demagogue. Should I go with chainglaive or should I go with Chainsword/Autopistol? In my opinion, chainglaive would be better since I will get 7 move after dark ritual so I'd be able to zip around sending juves and gangers straight to Slaanesh. However, 3 attacks on the charge is not good( I might get berserker and a chaos familiar or maybe its bad idk). Dual Chainswords or Chainsword + Autopistol sound like a good plan but I'd rather make less attacks and stay safe then roll one more dice and get rekt in retaliation. Looking forward to your advices. SILENCE OFFENDS SLAANESH!!!

 

[Aulenback]

Three hefty (S5 or especially S6) attacks on the charge with Versatile might not be BAD, especially once WS is up to 2+, and especially with a D2 weapon like the Chain Glaive. You won't need to worry about returning attacks, but would be vulnerable to being charged after their own activation, so something like tactics cards to attack first when charged could be useful. Also, they will be vulnerable to just straight up being shot, since Versatile has them unengaged during other fighters' shooting.

The familiar will have trouble keeping up to them at that speed, since the familiar only has a movement of 5", regardless clamber that isn't as fast as 7". So you will often and quickly leave the familiar behind, and not get its protection. You will also even at slower speeds rarely have the familiar's protection during melee, as group activation means that the charge and fight by your demagogue gets resolved fully before the familiar moves, or vice versa (and if the familiar moves first, it risks running straight back to where the demagogue is starting from),

But make no mistake. Versatile 2" is powerful and effective. I made use of it to great effect with my last gang. That extended reach is well worth it.

 

[League]

Three hefty (S5 or especially S6) attacks on the charge with Versatile might not be BAD, especially once WS is up to 2+, and especially with a D2 weapon like the Chain Glaive. You won't need to worry about returning attacks, but would be vulnerable to being charged after their own activation, so something like tactics cards to attack first when charged could be useful. Also, they will be vulnerable to just straight up being shot, since Versatile has them unengaged during other fighters' shooting.

The familiar will have trouble keeping up to them at that speed, since the familiar only has a movement of 5", regardless clamber that isn't as fast as 7". So you will often and quickly leave the familiar behind, and not get its protection. You will also even at slower speeds rarely have the familiar's protection during melee, as group activation means that the charge and fight by your demagogue gets resolved fully before the familiar moves, or vice versa (and if the familiar moves first, it risks running straight back to where the demagogue is starting from),

But make no mistake. Versatile 2" is powerful and effective. I made use of it to great effect with my last gang. That extended reach is well worth it.

Thanks for advice. Familiar works if he is within 3 inches of the owner? Then I will have to carefully use my demagogue to stay within that range. I will go with chain glaive then and next thing I will update on my leader is WS. I was wondering. If I use familiar and it works, do I still get pinned or not? If yes there is an argument in taking something other than Nerves of Steel, maybe berserker for 1 more attack? Or I can infiltrate my Demagogue but then I think I will have to infiltrate a champion as well to fork my opponent into deciding whether he wants to be set a ablaze by a hand flamer or chopped up by a chain glaive.

 

[Beebopalulla]

You can also look at the whip. Ideally trade or loot Esher equipped with electrowhip. You also have a pretty nasty fan in the apocrypha blood on the spire.

 

[daveh]

for slanesh it must be a whip and a tickling stick

 

[Beebopalulla]

in the apocrypha blood on the spire.

BARBED FLABELLUM
Fans are a common sight in the spire and an affectation of many highborn ladies. The barbed flabellum is a colourful collection of exotic xenos feathers and rare fabrics, dazzling to look upon but also filled with deadly toxic darts. A barbed flabellum is a Close Combat weapon with the following profile:

Weapon S L S L Str Ap D Am Traits
Barbed flabellum E 4" +2 +1 - -2 - - Melee, Toxin, Versatile

 

[League]

in the apocrypha blood on the spire.

BARBED FLABELLUM
Fans are a common sight in the spire and an affectation of many highborn ladies. The barbed flabellum is a colourful collection of exotic xenos feathers and rare fabrics, dazzling to look upon but also filled with deadly toxic darts. A barbed flabellum is a Close Combat weapon with the following profile:

Weapon S L S L Str Ap D Am Traits
Barbed flabellum E 4" +2 +1 - -2 - - Melee, Toxin, Versatile

Thanks for your reply. I will try to use barbed flabellum in my next campaign. So far, I improved ws on my leader and now demagogue hits more reliably. I ran demagogue with Nerves of Steel, so I am still wondering if successful use of familiar ignores being pinned as well. I feel like making my leader 4 attacks would make her actually and very potent melee piece. +2 to move is actually a banger, with 7 move and chainglaive demagogue acts as a good cleaner piece. Especially, if I manage to poisiton him well. Oh well, last game my demagogue sent an orrus spyrer out of action. Was some luck on my dice but i think 4 attacks on 2s with chainglaive is a potent way to remind people that they should never mess with Slaanesh.

 

[Aulenback]

I am still wondering if successful use of familiar ignores being pinned as well.

According to the Book of Ruin,

If the check is passed, the attack counts as having missed
and the dice roll is discarded.

so it retroactively never hit them, which yes would mean they were not pinned. The familiar's Willpower check (one avoided per round - that is, one per "turn") - happens immediately after a successful Hit roll, before Pinning or at the same time as Pinning, and if successful means they were never hit, so therefore not pinned.

 

[Beebopalulla]

Here is a very slaneeshy song about whip.

 

[League]

According to the Book of Ruin,

so it retroactively never hit them, which yes would mean they were not pinned. The familiar's Willpower check (one avoided per round - that is, one per "turn") - happens immediately after a successful Hit roll, before Pinning or at the same time as Pinning, and if successful means they were never hit, so therefore not pinned.

Thanks for reply. Then would it be viable to use Berserk or Infiltrate. Then I might try to roll nerves of steel and get xp on +1 ws. OMG, so many things I wanna try. Whip is good but it lacks killing potential. Barbed Parabellum looks interesting because it has a toxic trait.

 

[Aulenback]

Barbed Flabellum is also Illegal (12) (so a pretty high Rarity roll) and 80 credits once found. It is the cheapest of those Spyre weapons from "Blood In The Spire," but it isn't necessarily an early acquisition.

Something to work toward, definitely!

 

[League]

Thanks for replies. So, what are my takes on the matter. Finished campaign, it was pretty rough. Also got some 1000 points skirmish games.
So, things about the demagigue I've noticed.

• Chainglaive only is ok, if you planning to run Slaanesh gang after dark blessing. +2 to move + versatile is an amazing combo. In the beginning of the campaign best way to utilize her is to kill juves/gangers. Usually, they got low SV+ and <T4. So, demagogue pops them quiet reliable. Especially >>>>>
• Especially, If you play on terrain heavy table like my buddies and I do, I go for berserk skill+familiar, then aim for +1 WS. ; Demagogue will be squishy but his roll is to clean up, pick up those who overextended or lost(7 inch move is no joke). You can go for nerves of steel but thats lowers you chances to kill juve/ganger/non-combat champ. Since you are using a versatile weapon you can't Coup de Grace(I am jealous of venator leaders with their 6 move 3 attacks profile and availability of Greatsword. Sever on versatile weapon is insanely good).
• Also, you can give demagogue infiltrate. Not super competitive. But infiltrating is risky to do it alone. So, infiltrate your leader with friends. Make your opponent smile when you infiltrate a flamer or grenade launcher.

My witch had hand flamer and levitation. Champs Long rifle and Grenade Launcher. I played against Palanites( their leader got Greatsword and shield and he was a pain in the butt BUT my demagogue like it, liked the pain, ftw we play Slaanesh). CGC was hard. But we have templates.

Now, since new Ash Waste nomads coming out. So, I have a dilemma. If their melee champs and new weapons are good. I am going to play them since I love the looks and feel of
sand ninjas. However, if it sucks I am going to jump on Venator gang and have fun converting or I will jump on Spyrer bandwagon.

Thanks for replies.