Building the Perfect Chaos Marine Army

[Spevna]

Kharn is rock hard.

[Admiral-Badruck]

the last time I took him he got gunned down by star Cannons... next time I will but him in a tank and drive him up with a few buddies.. BURN BaBY BURN !!!

[Danguinius]

Although I`m known more for Blood Angels and Daemons, I also have about 5000 fully-painted points worth of CSM too (I`ll bring them next time I go to Nagoya). I guess I`ll be playing the role of Daemon`s Advocate when I say I was orginaly all in favor of the latest incarnation of Codex CSM. I liked that it was streamlined and mainly used USRs. Why? Fewer rule disputes, smoother play, quicker codex release schedule (as in, they can release all of the codices in 3-4 years instead of 10 years). Yes, I was in favor of all codices going this route. And yes, I also supported putting all of the loyalist chapters into one codex (and I`m even a BA player). But, in the meantime, GW has seemingly totally abandoned this approach to codex-making. And in that sense, it is kind of unfair to CSM (and DA) that a change was made. Ultimately, I hope GW picks one path and makes all of its codices with the same vision.

This topic always seems to get really heated, so let me say that fluff is retconned all the time with this game. Why some of it is more canon-like and some of it is dropped without a second thought, I don`t know. I also want to say that I understand that everyone wants their own army to be "unique"...maybe more than they want to the game to be fair (maybe?) I`m not that way. I can sacrifice some of that "uniqueness" (My Night Lords became renegades) if it will make a more level playing field. Because the fact is: if GW keeps releasing new armies/codices, it will take longer to update the older ones which will inevitably create huge power level discrepencies. If you are one of the people who thinks each legion should have it`s own codex, then you are essentially condemning the DA and Eldar codices to another 6-7 years of unchanged existance. We`ll see where it goes from here, but I think GW has realized that it`s better to wait a long time to update a codex/army since people eventually begin to feel the army is unplayable and start a 2nd army '(with newer, better, flashier rules) or 3rd army. So, maybe they`ll continue this trend.

Danguinius

[Danguinius]

Oh yeah, and I forgot to add...ALL of my Raptors have bat-wing jump packs! Yeaaahhhh!!!!

Danguinius

[Primarch]

Oh yeah, and I forgot to add...ALL of my Raptors have bat-wing jump packs! Yeaaahhhh!!!!

Danguinius

Thats COOL! Please bring them along the next time you're in Nagoya. Or even post a picture in the painting section.
Those Bat-wings are the best part of the Possessed sprue.

[me_in_japan]

Those Bat-wings are the best part of the Possessed sprue.

thats not saying much. 's one of the fugliest sprues I ever did see...

Tbh, I dont think the CSM dex is partucularly weak, per se, its just not interesting. Compare the CSM dex with The Lost and The Damned . I'm not saying that every single thing should be randomised (S=D6+3, anyone?) \, but I do think that tLatD had character. thats what the CSM dex lacks. There's no personality to it.

I said before, too, that the CSM dex should rightly be called Codex: Black Legion, and I stand by that remark. I certainly dont think that there should be separate codexes for specific legions, and i apologise if thats the impression I gave. I do think though that there should be scope within the chaos codex for full khorne, nurg, slaan, tzeen armies. The differentiation between models with the Mark of Khorne and World Eaters is both annoying and potentially confusing. There should definitely be army-affecting special characters a la the marine dex.

e.g. Kharn the betrayer: all marines must gain +1A and Furious Charge at a cost of XX per model. No Havocs may be taken. No Slaanesh models may be taken. Units with a multiple of 8 models in them count as having a personal icon. Rage all round would be appropriate too, if a wee bit crippling
Typhus: All marines must gain FNP and +1T at a cost of XX(plus a bit) per model. No bikers may be taken. No Tzeentch models may be taken. Units with a multiple of 7 models in them count as having a personal icon.

etc, etc.These are intended as illustrative examples, rather than specific things I think would work. Basically an HQ unit would provide a buff and an FOC limitation to suit the power in question. You could do the same thing with Lord's marks. WHatever mark your HQ unit has affects your army. if you want an army with all 4 powers in it then ya gotta take the Mark of Chaos Undivided (which fits the fluff, as abaddon is undivided)

Oh, and power specific daemons woulda been nice. S'not too much to ask, is it?

None of these would necessarily make the army better or more winnable (in fact, they definitely shouldnt) but they would make a power-specific army so much more doable.

Dat's what I think.

-d

and for the record, I think the same should apply to loyalist marines, eldar, and so on, too.
One species : one dex, with army-affecting HQ units. (not meaning to play favourites here, but perhaps eldar and dark eldar are sufficiently different to merit separate dexes, seeing as how they share no common units whatsoever (harlequins rumour notwithstanding...))

[Admiral-Badruck]

Ok Man I have to throw in my 2 yen...

Khorne based army is easy
take KBs as troops and and take of Mark of Khorne for anything else.. same for the rest of the Powers... the Black legion list that we have is good enough.. I would love to get Drop pods for my Dreads...

come to think of it everyone I know plays a mono Power Chaos army ...

Pike Pink- and purple perves
D lord - Blue and yellow Magic ghosts
Spevena - Blood For the Blood God..
M-J-P - Stinky green moldy sick guys..
Badruck Green sick moldy stinky Guys

I think we are doing just fine...

[Colonel Voss]

Like others have said, it's just a bland book. When I first came back, I was debating whether to rebuild my guard or Iron Warriors. After reading the two current codexes (and the previous codex), I went with guard as it grabbed my attention more. The older dex was actually pretty cool, but this one was a snooze.

[Admiral-Badruck]

I really did not set this up as a lets complain about Codex Chaos Space Marines...

It is about what units are good and what units suck... looks like the 40K mods are sleeping or just do not care how far we have gone off topic...

To bring us back on Topic..

Elite units where is the Cheese and where is the bread and butter?

I like Chosen for Elite choices... Great weapons great special rules not that expensive...The models are just standard Chaos Marines so no need to get stabbed in the wallet.. I really like them

[Primarch]

I would like to discuss what makes them so bad

Your first post.
We were on topic.