Common Chaos Space Marines - Troop choice

[Collin O'Brien]

Thus MoS with a power sword... To bad that shiny new Aspiring Champion model and none of the Chosen models from DV have a power sword (I was thinking of using the chosen as unit champions)

The chosen work well as unit champions, have been using them that way until recently, when I converted some champions using the Dark Angels accessories. If you're looking to make a champion with a power sword out of DV, you might want to look into using the chosen model with the power axe, as its weapon arm comes entirely separate and can easily be replaced with something else.

[Eberk]

I'm thinking about 2 sorts of squads at the moment.

1) A 10 strong close combat squad where the boltguns are replaced by a close combat weapon + flamers and/or meltaguns. Aspiring Champion obviously kitted out for close combat (power weapon). This squad will ride to war in a Rhino.

2) A 15 or 20 strong shooting squad (they keep their bolters) + Plasma guns and/or a 'heavy weapon' like an autocannon. The Aspiring Champion will get only a combi-bolter. Perhaps an Icon will be added to this squad.

I think these 2 types of squads will give me enough tactical flexibility.

What do you guys think ?

[Diagnosis Ninja]

Just look for the things that CSM can do that SM can't:

*20 man squads.
*2 Special Weapons, rather than 1 Special + 1 Heavy.
*Close Combat Weapons.
*Veterans of the Long War.
*Marks.
*Specialist challenge characters.

Put that stuff into a unit and it looks decent to me.

[Eberk]

*20 man squads.

Pretty expensive in a 1500pt army

*2 Special Weapons, rather than 1 Special + 1 Heavy.

When their job is to just stand and fire I'd rather have an autocannon then a second plasma gun (but I will try both configurations out and see what works best)

*Close Combat Weapons.

Additional close combat weapons are very pricy for large units, no ? I'd rather specialize my troops.

*Veterans of the Long War.
*Marks.

These are off course included - it will be a warband from the original Emperor's Children Legion

*Specialist challenge characters.

indeed, I almost forgot about that rule, damn, now I certainly need characters with power swords instead of power axes.

[Diagnosis Ninja]

20 Marines.
Replace Bolter > CCW.
2 Flamers.
Power Sword, Melta Bombs and Gift of Mutation Champion.

Roll with Huron and Fabius. Take Cultists as other troops to flood your boardside. 300 Points for 20 Space Marines ain't bad.

[Eberk]

plus VotLW = +30pt and MoS = +60pt and substitute a flamer for a meltagun and you get close to 400pts for a single unit.

I think that's a lot if you also want to take some Noise Marines, Chosen, Predator, Havocs, Raptors, Sorceror,...

PS: I don't ever use named characters, I want to write/fight my own tale of glory

[Diagnosis Ninja]

plus VotLW = +30pt and MoS = +60pt and substitute a flamer for a meltagun and you get close to 400pts for a single unit.

I think that's a lot if you also want to take some Noise Marines, Chosen, Predator, Havocs, Raptors, Sorceror,...

PS: I don't ever use named characters, I want to write/fight my own tale of glory

Then don't take those things? They're the cheapest marines to boot. They're only as expensive as you make them. Huron and Fabius were only there for guaranteed Infiltrate, and +1S/Fearless.

At the end of the day though, I know how much I pay for 10 Dark Eldar Warriors in a Raider, and I'd much rather take CSM for the extra price. Worth it by my count.

[Eberk]

The all to common pitfall - "Load up your units with lots of options"

Back to the drawing board it is for my army list

[DarkLink]

You can get Fearless in the units, which is better than ATSKNF (though Chapter Tactics is on par). So long as you keep a tight focus on what upgrades you need and which ones you don't, CSM's flexibility will do you well. You can't equip them to do everything like you can Grey Hunters, they just get too expensive that way. But if you take one squad to hold your home objective, one squad to hold the midfield, one squad to take enemy objectives, etc, you can take exactly the upgrades you need and optimize your performance. There won't be one 'ideal' layout for basic CSM, because that ideal layout for each squad will be based on what your army specifically needs.

[Diagnosis Ninja]

The all to common pitfall - "Load up your units with lots of options"

Back to the drawing board it is for my army list

It's not necessarily too many options, just "what don't you need?"

Another ideal unit by my count:

10 Marines
2 Plasma guns
Champion: Sword and Melta bombs
+ CCW
Icon of Fearless

Rhino
Havoc
Daemonic Posession

Not sure how much it costs, but at the end of the day it's not like they need to be entirely efficient. They just need to be geared to a particular job.