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Hi Dakka,
I've played a lot of 40K in my day. My friends and I decided that we ought to try to learn the other side of the game as well. We've initiated a Warhammer Escalation league. I traded an old army and picked up a bunch of Warriors of Chaos models. Now I'm staring at this pile of stuff and trying to figure out a decent way to piece it together. I'm especially confused by the "ranks" system, and how to determine what movement trays to build.

I don't need an ultra-competitive tournament army. I just want a good cross-functional army that will help teach me the game and allow me to compete against other non-optimized lists. As far as builds go - I want to avoid Nurgle lists. I just don't like the theme. I'm interesting in maximizing anything I can related to magic, and anything that can help me get across the table and into combat fast.

I am trying to avoid buying/trading many models, but if you think one or two purchases would really help, please let me know.

League Rules: Games at 750, 1250 and 2250 points. No Storm of Magic. Everything else is standard.

Lords:
My models:
Chaos Lord (x2)
Sorcerer (Lord?) of Tzentch on Disc (he looks like a bird)
Chaos Lord on Juggernaut
Valkia the Bloody
Vilitch the Curseling
Galrauch

Heroes:
One dude has a GIANT banner. Maybe he's an exalted hero with a battle standard?
I'm guessing I could use stripped down versions of the lords and sorcerer above?

Core:
30 Warriors (half have 2 hand-weapons, the other half can be built for extra weapon or shield)
48 Marauders on Foot
10 Marauders on Horseback
1 Chariot
10 Chaos Hounds

Special:
10 Knights on Horseback

Rare:
Dragon Ogre Shoggoth

There are also various dudes with banners, drums, etc for most of the squads.

Any advice, especially on the 750 and 1250 lists?

First off welcome to Warriors and fantasy in general.

Next, you've got a really good start to an army, there are only a few models I would suggest adding to it. A unit of skullcrushers would do wonders as they are the best MC in the entire game IMO and it gives you a delivery system for your Chaos Lord on a Juggernaut. Fielding him isn't really an option in low point games bc of the percentage system (25% Lords, 25% Heroes, minimum 25% Core, 50% Special, and 25% rare) but in larger point games, you could take him and he would hit like a ton of bricks alongside the 'Crushers.

Another chaos chariot, which is part of a dual kit you could use to make either a chariot or gorebeast chariot, would be a good addition since the Chariot is Movement 8 and Swiftstride. And while chariots can't march, swiftstride really helps get them to where they need to be. It never hurts to have more core and since you don't have a lot of special you could either magnetize it to use it as either a gorebeast or regular chariot or just use it as a gorebeast which is a little slower but a lot tougher and has 1 more wound. MoK for chariots is really good since you get 6 strength 5 attacks provided you haven't lost frenzy plus the two horse attacks. With respect to your core, Chariots as I mentioned before are great, Hounds are good as chaff, and Warriors with the MoT and blasted standard are awesome since you get a 3+/5++ in Hand to Hand. And the blasted standard allows you to weather the storm from shooty armies like dwarfs or Elves for example.

Individual units like chariots and the Shaggoth don't need movement trays but pretty much everything else will. Regarding the size of the tray, it really depends on how you want to run them i typically run my warriors 6 or 7 wide and 3 to 5 deep. In smaller point games you won't have the points to do this considering you have to field a lord or hero and 3 other units for it to be a legal army. So i would consider a throwaway unit like Chaos warhounds or MSU Marauders to help meet this requirement. I don't really feel Marauders are viable in this edition unless you are running Nurgle with Festus in the unit. That makes them pretty nasty. MoS Marauder horsemen are amazing as chaff albeit a little more expensive than dogs.

For 750/1000 pts i would consider a level 2 Tzeentch Sorcerer and/or MoT Exalted hero to put in your Tzeentch Warrior unit, a 12 man MoT warrior unit, some dogs, and a MoK chariot if you can fit that all in. It's gonna be close.

Hope this helps. Good luck and as always, roll sixes.

Thank you Nathan2004. I really like the sound of your advice. I tried to incorporate a bunch of it.

I'm thinking that this is the list I'd like to put together to learn the game at the lower points levels. As always, comments welcomed!

750 points:
Sorcerer: Level 2, MoT, Tzeentch Lore, Enchanted Shield, Gleaming Pendant

Chaos Warriors (17): Shield, Musician, Standard Bearer, Blasted Standard, MoT. (Six ranks of 3, Sorcerer goes in ranks)

5 Chaos Warhounds: Vanguard

1 Chaos Chariot: MoK

5 Chaos Marauder Horsemen: MoS, Javelin, Shield

1250 Points:

Same as above, plus:
Chaos Warriors (14): MoT, Extra Hand Weapon (2 ranks of 7)

Chaos Warhounds (5): Vanguard

Chaos Knights (5): MoK

If things are going well, and it looks like there will be future games, I will think about expanding. My goal at 2250 would be to include some Skullcrushers and the Lord on a Juggernaut. If nothing else, I love the models!

Any last minute advice on these two lists before I order movement trays and start painting?

Yes, MoT and extra hand weapons seem to be a bit of a waste, sure you get the parry save and an additional attack, but it does cost you a lot per model.

 welshhoppo wrote:
Yes, MoT and extra hand weapons seem to be a bit of a waste, sure you get the parry save and an additional attack, but it does cost you a lot per model.

No you don't. You can't claim the extra attack for having an ahw and still use your shield, so you don't receive the parry save.

alex87 wrote:

 welshhoppo wrote:
Yes, MoT and extra hand weapons seem to be a bit of a waste, sure you get the parry save and an additional attack, but it does cost you a lot per model.

No you don't. You can't claim the extra attack for having an ahw and still use your shield, so you don't receive the parry save.

Aye, what I meant was that MoT gives you a 6+ ward save. so really you're paying double the cost for that extra attack. I think it is a little bit inefficient.

So I'm better off switching the second unit of warriors to shields as well?

Or give them the Mark of Khorne, may as well go all out.