Tzeentch in Age of Sigmar second edition

So, AoS2 is here, and I present to you my first list!

I’ve been very open with the fact that I plan to stick with my Tzeentch for a good while so I can get to grips with the changes. As has been reported everywhere else the points increases are real!! Obviously, it’s because of the new summoning rules, which I’m very excited to see in action, and those rules were in my head when I was building my list, which is below:

Allegiance: Tzeentch
Leaders
Lord Of Change (380)
- General
- Trait: Aether Tether  
- Artifact: Wellspring of Arcane Might  
- Lore of Change: Tzeentch's Firestorm
The Changeling (200)
- Lore of Change: Fold Reality
Gaunt Summoner (180)
- Lore of Change: Unchecked Mutation
Battleline
10 x Pink Horrors Of Tzeentch (200)
- Lore of Change: Bolt of Tzeentch
10 x Pink Horrors Of Tzeentch (200)
- Lore of Change: Bolt of Tzeentch
20 x Tzaangors (360)
Units
3 x Tzaangor Skyfires (220)
3 x Tzaangor Enlightened on Disc (160)
Endless Spells
Balewind Vortex (40)
Umbral Spellportal (60)
Total: 2000 / 2000

The main change for this list for me was the use of the Changling, I’ve never used him before, but the ability to be behind enemy lines and essentially untouchable is very appealing, especially used along with the new summoning rules. I dropped my Tzaangor Shaman to fit him in because The increase cost on Skyfires meant that I won’t generally have more than 3 in any list, so decided to let them go it alone, a few cheeky 6’s to hit will still do the trick.

My battleline is pretty standard, I’ve historically taken a 30 (man?) unit of Tzaangors but because of the price hike for the pink horrors I dropped them to 20, they’ve got 2 wounds each so still a very tough unit to battle through.

2 units of 10 pink horrors to round out the battleline....they have gone up a massive 40 points per unit, but the ability to split into blue horrors, and then brimstone horrors for free makes it all worth it!

Casting spells is very important to Tzeentch now, and this list has 7 casts per turn, although the chances are the Changling will not cast to keep himself hidden, 6 spells is still very good and should mean by turn 3 I get something for free to bring on. My plan is bring on some flamers, I’ve always liked the stats (3 shots each at an 18” range doing D3 damage each, yes please...!) but struggled to find a place for them, luckily now, I can have them for free! I’ll bring them on behind enemy lines and hopefully cause Chris to make a few decisions.

Finally, the endless spells, I decided to stick with tradition and take a Balewind, whilst not as good as it used to be, it still allows to cast an extra spell and ad 6” to its range.

I also took the Umbral spell portal, it’s brilliant and I really can’t see me not taking it as it allows great flexibility and threat to my already awesome spells!

So; turns out in AoS2 Tzeentch magic is still really good...even with the points hike....who’d have known!

Overall I was happy with my first game, we didn’t finish all 5 rounds, but by the end of turn 3 Chris has 3 heroes left, so the game would’ve carried on and it would’ve been a victory for me.

There are a few changes I would make for next time. The changeling did what he needed to do, by dropping behind enemy lines, but as Chris got first turn his boar boys ran away so I was too late to slow them down, I’ll be sure to position him better next time too, also I gave him the Fold Reality spell, which, is a very good spell, but as the Changeling was so far away from any of my units he didn’t get a chance to cast it, I think a more support based spell would be best going forward.

Also, the 3 Skyfires with no shaman support worked OK, but 220 points is a hell of an investment, so I think I might drop them for the next game and have another 3 enlightened, because for some reason their points stayed the same, and they are a fantastic unit for holding things up.
They did a lot of damage to a unit of Chris’ savage Orruks, and didn’t lose any models....until of course 3 Big Stabbas came to support their pals and quickly dispatched them.

Summoning worked great, Chris brought 2 spell casters and I was surprised by how quick my summoning pool built up, it wasn’t long before the changeling summoned 3 flamers to the side of the board, and whilst they didn’t do an awful lot of damage, it was an extra threat that Chris had to focus on.

Pink horrors probably got the largest price hike in AoS2, and don’t get me wrong for good reason, the ability for them to generate specials points for blue horrors and then the blue horrors create special points for brimstone horrors is great, and again, when my army looked a little thin on the ground, I was able to bring on 30 blue horrors, which again, give Chris something to think about, I like the fact i can spawn units from different points on the board depending on where my heroes are, which is the great advantage of the sneaky changeling.

The Tzeentch army I play in the future may well change, there are already a few things on my “to-buy” list as I’ll need the support for summoning, but I’m really please with how the first game went.
My next game I am going to change up and play with either my Stormcast or Khorne so check back for my thoughts on them.