Reviews: Traitor Legions - The Emperor's Children

Fourth on the list for Traitor Legion reviews is the Emperor's Children

Content sourced via the Combat Phase podcast and SpikeyBits

The Emperor's Children

The Emperor's Children were the only Legion to bear the Emperor's own name. The Emperor's Children are now a shattered Legion much like their counterparts the World Eaters, their unity devoured by their allegiance to Chaos. The Emperor's Children Legion now exists only as scattered, autonomous warbands located in the Eye of Terror who are dedicated to their own pursuit of corrupt, hedonistic and usually murderous pleasures. The Chaos Space Marines of the Emperor's Children are known for possessing outlandish mutations and surgical alterations as "gifts" from Slaanesh which are designed to make them more "perfect" in the eyes of their twisted patron.

What makes an Emperor's Children Detachment?

To be an Emperor's Children detachment, much like what we saw in the Wrath of Magnus there are a number of restrictions:

• The army can have none of the Chaos Space Marine unique characters, with the exception of Lucius the Eternal:
• Semi surprised not to see Fabius Bile on this list of exceptions as he was the Chief Apothecary of the Emperor's Children, however maybe just a few too many experiments to be allowed in the cool boys club.
• All models that can purchase the Mark of Slaanesh or Daemon of Slaanesh must do so.
• All models that can purchase Veterans of the Long war (VotLW) must do so, but for free.

So what do I get for being an Emperor's Children Detachment?

If your detachment is an Emperor's Children detachment then you get the following special rules:

• Fueled by Sensation: Units with VotLW gain Fearless and Feel No Pain 6+ and the Icon of Excess grants a 4+ Feel No Pain (instead of the usual 5+). If any model with VotLW is slain in the fight sub phase before they have attacked, they immediately make 1 attack.
• Masters Kakophoni: Noise Marines are troops.

Emperor's Children Warlord Traits

Nothing game changing here, the Reroll 1's on the Feel No Pain could be solid on a unit with an Icon of Excess, but thats about it.

1. Gains "Warrior".
• Unsure exactly what this Warlord Trait does.
2. The Warlord gains +2 to their Initiative
3. Reroll all rolls of a 1 for Feel No Pain for Warlord and his unit.
4. Warlord causes Fear checks on 3D6 instead of the usual 2D6.
5. Warlord has +1 Attack for every wound lost.
6. Auto pass Look Out Sir!

Emperor's Children Relics

• Intoxicating Elixir (25 Points): make D3 rolls on combat drugs instead of the usual 1, the results are cumulative
• Shriekwave (20 Points): Ranged Weapon, 12", S8, AP2, assault D6, Mental Trauma (before attack target takes leadership test and if failed you re-roll to-wound).
• For those following Difsta's Road to Arc, this will make a great addition to Lord Commander Eidolon.
• Soul Snare Lash (20 Points): Soulsnare (to wound rolls of a 6 are AP2 and instant death), can be used as a Ranged Weapon (6", S4, AP5, Assault 2, Soulsnare) or Melee (S user, AP5, melee, Soulsnare).
• Endless Grin (10 Points): bearer has the Fear special rule, and enemies within 6" have -1 to their leadership.
• Bolts of Ecstatic Vexation (15 Points): Boltgun weapons gain blast, ignores cover and pinning;
• Blissgiver (30 Points): AP3, Catatonic Trance (target must pass leadership test for each wound or die).
• At this stage I believe this is a Melee Weapon at Strength User.

Emperor's Children Formation Based Detachment (FBD)

• Combat Drugs: After deployment, roll for each non-vehicle unit, they have this ability for the rest of the game:
• +1WS
• +1BS
• +1I
• +1S
• +1T
• +1A

Core Choices:

• Chaos Warband: As per Traitor's Hate
• Kakophani: Noise Marines gain Split Fire and all Sonic Weaponry gain the Shred special rule. If you take all 6 Units of Noise Marines, all Sonic Weaponry gain +1 Strength.
• 1 of the following: Lucius the Eternal or a Chaos Lord
• 3-6 Units of Noise Marines

Command Choices:

• Lord of Legion: 1 of the following; Lucius the Eternal, Chaos Lord, Sorcerer, Dark Apostle or Daemon Prince

Auxiliary Choices: Rumors show that they get 8 Formations in the Auxiliary Choice, but from what I can find there is 9, one of these (most likely the Terminator Annihilation Force) is not available.

• Lost and Damned: As per Traitor's Hate
• Helforged Wrack: As per Traitor's Hate
• Daemon Engine: As per Traitor's Hate
• Heldrake Terror: As per Traitor's Hate
• Cult of Destruction: As per Traitor's Hate
• Fist of the Gods: As per Traitor's Hate
• Raptor Talon: As per Traitor's Hate
• Terminator Annihilation Force: As per Traitor's Hate
• Spawn: As per Traitor's Hate