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ok, I play CSM(red corsairs), and currently have the following models (they are modelled as i say):

14 plague marines, 2 aspiring champs with PF, 2 PMs with plasma guns, 2 PMs with meltaguns

1 CSM Sorcerer

5 Possessed

And unassembled :

1 chaos predator (planning on magnatizing so i can run as a pred or rhino)

12 Khorne bezerkers

1 Huron Blackheart

1 Chaos lord

and will eventually scratch build a dreadnought (mostly for fun and a display model)

My current list (only playing 500pt games at the moment, and am playing non-competetively)

1 Chaos lord
Mark of khrone
deamon weapon

5 plague marines
plasma gun
plasma gun


6 plague marines
champion with powerfist
Rhino


this was just made with the models i had available (only got hold of the zerkers today)


I am also looking for 750 pt and 1000pt lists (my playgroup is for new players playing on small games)

Im avioding buying models untill i have a decent idea of the list i want to play.

Im looking for a list that can be versitile, with assult troops and ranged troops. a sort of list that can handle most things thrown at it.
Ill also consider a CC based list.

One main thing to point out is the khorne lords daemon weapon is very high risk, and dual lcs can do the same job only a little less efficiently, also you are hugely outnumbered in these 500 point games and my advice is to run a cheaper hq unit and 2 squads of 10 Csm if possible as numbers are always better in smaller games and they are durable, reliable and resilient troops

I agree with Dilks. I can't stand the Khorne DW, as a 1/3 chance of hitting yourself in the face every turn is just way too high for me. Dual Lightning Claws is excellent with MoK on a lord. If you're really set on the daemon weapon, IMO you really want to go Mark of Nurgle or unmarked, as both improve your ability to wound, and only run 1/6 chance of punching your own face.

I like the double 10 man CSM build for 500pts too. Lascannon and melta or plasma on one, double melta and powerfist champ on the other. Good stuff!

Possessed are not very good, but usable. Often the better use for them is just as cool mutants in other types of squads. And stealing the wings for winged sorcerers or lords.
Plague Marines are great.
Sorcerers are great. The most common and excellent choice is Lash (on foot or with wings).
Berserkers are great.
Chaos Lords are okay; lightning claws or daemon weapon (nurgle or unmarked).

Best predator configuration right now is autocannon turret and lascannon sponsons, but that has changed literally EVERY time they've updated the rulebook or codex in the last 10 years, so you are absolutely right to magnetize.

Do you have any particular preferred units? Or a preferred play style?

One element you're going to NEED as you build upwards is long range fire support. Which basically has to come from predators, Missile Launcher Havocs, or Obliterators. So you're going to want some of those.

Mannahnin has some excellentpoints, getting an idea of a theme for your army is always good and telling us how you want to play

Mannahnin wrote:I agree with Dilks. I can't stand the Khorne DW, as a 1/3 chance of hitting yourself in the face every turn is just way too high for me. Dual Lightning Claws is excellent with MoK on a lord. If you're really set on the daemon weapon, IMO you really want to go Mark of Nurgle or unmarked, as both improve your ability to wound, and only run 1/6 chance of punching your own face.

I like the double 10 man CSM build for 500pts too. Lascannon and melta or plasma on one, double melta and powerfist champ on the other. Good stuff!

Possessed are not very good, but usable. Often the better use for them is just as cool mutants in other types of squads. And stealing the wings for winged sorcerers or lords.
Plague Marines are great.
Sorcerers are great. The most common and excellent choice is Lash (on foot or with wings).
Berserkers are great.
Chaos Lords are okay; lightning claws or daemon weapon (nurgle or unmarked).

Best predator configuration right now is autocannon turret and lascannon sponsons, but that has changed literally EVERY time they've updated the rulebook or codex in the last 10 years, so you are absolutely right to magnetize.

Do you have any particular preferred units? Or a preferred play style?

One element you're going to NEED as you build upwards is long range fire support. Which basically has to come from predators, Missile Launcher Havocs, or Obliterators. So you're going to want some of those.

the list i want to run is an adaptable one, if thats at all possible with CSM. My guard army is going to be blob guard, so i want to have something that works slightly different to have some vareity

Adaptable with Csm is rather easy to do Raven, however you do need balance of cc anti horde and at units in the army

Oblits are about the most adaptable thing you can get.
Powerfists in squads are still the best tool for killing most infantry in combat, and give you a chance at killing monstrous creatures and vehicles too.
Missile Launchers are good anti-vehicle and anti-infantry; best in Havoc squads.
Havoc Launchers allow your Rhinos to also play fire support against infantry hordes if needed.
Rhinos for most of your squads keep you mobile, which is key to acting aggressively if you need to assault your opponent, which is usually. They're also handy for tank-shocking or using as terrain or barriers for enemy units during the game. Very flexible and adaptable.

with my current models (i am severlly strapped for cash at the moment) can you please suggest a 500pt list for me untill i get hold of some standard CSM?


also a couple questions

Is gift of chaos worth taking on a sorcerer? a friend swears by it, but it doesnt seem all too effective.

Are termies worth it? the models are pretty nifty, and id love to field them

Whats a decent setup on a lord? im building this lord out of bitz from the SM commander and some spare bitz, and im wondering, if i have to do him WYSIWYG, how should i model him?


a couple general questions about the hobby

Generally, is WYSIWYG extremely important? ive just had an arguement about it with someone, and from what i hear people expect 100% WYSIWYG all the time, which makes my life difficult, becuase getting bits and such is hard for me, as warhammer is relatively unkown in my country. My playgroup doesnt seem too picky about it, but if end up moving overseas, it might be a problem.

on that topic, where is a good place to get bits internationally, and relatively cheaply? as i am on a tight budget, and bits seem very expensive ($6 for a plasma gun, for example)

i will post more questions when they come to mind, but that is it now.

Next purchase Recommendations:

Hvy support is crucial to CSM, and one of their strongpoints-
Either Obliterators or Havocs or Predators to start IMO

Daemon Princes with warptime are unbelievably good

In most CSM lists every troop choice is in a transport (for each troop choice you get I'd get a rhino)

yeah, i have a ton of termies and I actually dont have ANY oblits "NOT ENOUGH MINERALS" but they are really quite survivable against tank hvy opps give them the mark of tzeenetch if you are going up against steel legion. pwr fsts altheway!

Sorcerer w/Mark of Slaanesh, Lash = 125
5 PMs w/2x plasma = 145
Rhino w/ Havoc Launcher = 50
5 Berserkers incl. Champ w/Fist = 145
Rhino = 35

That's a bit more effective and flexible than your original, although there's not a lot of room to work at this points level, obviously.

Gift of Chaos is not really that good. It's not bad in a list with multiple Tzeentch Sorcerers/Thousand Sons aspiring Sorcerers casting it multiple times a turn, but it's a lot of points and not very reliable.

Terminators are good. The most common use is a squad of three, all with combi-meltas, deep striking to kill an important enemy tank. This is commonly referred to as "termicide", since they have a tendency to die quickly after that, but it's often a good trade, especially if you blow up a landraider. I often give mine a Chainfist too, so they can kill stuff after landing too, if they don't get killed off immediately. I'm also fond of using a somewhat beefed-up unit (4-6 models, depending on the size of the game and what else is in my list) with a heavy flamer and a fist or two added, which can still bust vehicles, but also roast light infantry and present a more durable backfield threat.

Lords are okay; usually not as useful as sorcerers or daemon princes, but usable. If you're building one out of the SM Commander box, I'd say go deamon weapon & combi-melta.

WYSIWYG is usually pretty important. Most people are open to you having a unit or two not for a test game or two, but it's not cool as an ongoing thing, or in a tournament. I make a point of always being WYSIWYG in any game with a stranger, too.

Bits online... Hmm. Not really my thing. Might want to ask in Dakka Discussions or another forum. Lots of people do order online, so you should be able to get some good feedback. I've heard from a lot of people I trust that The Warstore is excellent, but I don't know how bad shipping to SA is. You might have better luck with one of the British companies.

WYSIWYG is very important to quite a few players and its better to do the modelling before hand to minimize any negatives that can come from not doing so