Question about Chaos Termies *Poll*

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**Lint**

I'm thinking about splitting my 6 man squad of terminators into 2, 3 man squads. One squad will have a reaper, a combi melta and lightning claws. The other will have a hvy flamer, combi flamer, and combi bolter. Do you think this is smart? My goal is to divide some heavy firepower to increase manueverability.

**Fafnir**

If you really want heavy firepower in really small units, I'd just go the route of obliterators. What you have there seems like a really poor attempt at immitating them.

Also, I've heard bad thigns about the reaper, being as expensive as it is.

Of course, I've never played as or against CSM, so my word's not worth very much.

**Nofasse 'Eadhunta**

As Fafnir said, if you want some heavy firepower, use Obliterators. No offense, but they are better in every way compared to your squad setups.

For 20 points more than your setups, you can get 2 Obliterators, which gives you: an additional wound, Fearless, Slow and Purposeful, Powerfists, and every energy weapon in the book. You can't even imitate that with Termies and even if you could you'd be hitting the 300-point mark with only 4 Termies.

**wuestenfux**

Well, I usually run a large Terminator squad as a shock & awe unit. The enemy can hardly deal with it.
Therefore, I wouldn't split it.
Another issue is kill points.

**Lint**

True, I hadn't thought about the kp aspect. Now that I think about it, of course oblits are a better idea for this, so I'm going to go keep these boys together. Thanks for the help!

**wuestenfux**

Good decision. I usually run a 10 men Termie squad with 2 heavy flamers, 2 power fists, and IoGC. Great unit!

**The Philsonator**

I prefer fluff over gameplay, and i don't like mutations. Sure a head hear and there is mad, but not the major ones...

Still, a squad of 3 Obliterators looks better on the table than a measly squad of 3 Termies, save them for groups of 5, looks cooler.

Oblits kill lots of things too

**wuestenfux**

It's not either Obliterators or Termies. Take both. They perform different roles on the battle field.
Termies can contest or clear objectives. They can hold their own. It may become difficult vs Assault Termies or Nobz Bikers.

**Wehrkind**

Yea, Oblits and Termies do not necessarily have the same purpose. You might not want to DS Oblits, or perhaps have full HS slots, or you want a cheap "oh crap!" Termie squad to drop right on your opponant's head.
Now, they CAN fullfil the same role, but decide what effect you want, then choose the unit, not the other way around.

I do second questioning the value of the reaper though. It looks awesome, but it is rather expensive for what it does. It can be really nice for DSing behind vehicles, but then combi melta/plasma is pretty cool for that too, and better for ripping up MEQ. Just something to think about.

**wuestenfux**

Well, I use Termies and Oblits to perform different roles.
Termies are close quarter fighters and should be sent into the thickest melee as they don't score. And if the squad is large enough it will hardly be wiped out.
Obliterators are an asset. I don't want them to go down, at least not early in the game as they perform a very important shooty supporting role.

**The Philsonator**

Yes, Termies are CC, and should only shoot if they are too far away to do anything, or on the way in. Get stuck in with those high strength, armour save negating juggernauts!

Oblits DS and shoot.

**wuestenfux**

Oblits DS and shoot.

I use my Obliterators very conservatively. Keep them in the back field if necessary and in cover so that they get a 4+ cover save.

**Lint**

Well, what I had in mind was using small termie squads to deep strike into the thick of things, hold objectives, and generally make a mess of things. I thought it might be easier to do this with smaller squads, but I guess it depends on how long they can survive. I am a complete noob to playing the game, so i'm trying to think of my own strategies for this army.
Unfortunately I have most of it modeled and painted, so I'm kind of stuck with the reaper. Since I'm going to use it anyways, what is the best use for it? I was thinking I could drop the squad into a swarm rush and have him spray them with the autocannon and flamers. Would this still work on meq's?

**Spellbound**

At the 'Ard Boyz I made good use of 3-man terminator squads with heavy flamer, 2x combi-flamer each. One was in a landraider, the other deepstriked. VERY high damage output, and on a turn where they can fire and charge they can easily take down a squad of space marines if they fail their morale check. Killing 3-4 from massed flamers followed by 3-4 more in close combat is a lovely thing!

I'd avoid the reaper though. It's just so expensive! I mean compare it to the Cyclone Missle Launcher!

**Nofasse 'Eadhunta**

Spellbound wrote:I'd avoid the reaper though. It's just so expensive! I mean compare it to the Cyclone Missle Launcher!

You mean the Cyclone Missile Launcher that only Loyalist Marines can use on the Whirlwind that Chaos Marines doesn't even have access to?

We're talking Chaos Termies here...

**Spellbound**

no, I'm talking the cyclone missle launcher that space marine terminators get for, you know, about the same price.

**Nofasse 'Eadhunta**

My bad, got the guns mixed up.

So the CML is expensive too, is it? Good thing CSM doesn't have to worry about it, no good in worrying about a gun that probably is as bad a choice as the reaper.

*Note:* Forgive me is despise 5th Edition Marines. NOT because I play CSM, gameplay-wise.

**Warboss Spleenstaba**

if it was larger squads but since its 2 3 mans it just seems like plasma canon and small arms fire candy to me

**Tierlieb**

Nofasse 'Eadhunta wrote:So the CML is expensive too, is it? Good thing CSM doesn't have to worry about it, no good in worrying about a gun that probably is as bad a choice as the reaper.

The funny thing is: The CML is a very good weapon, probably THE weapon for SM terminators in 5th (in case you run normal terminators, which is somewhat rare). Chaos terminators do not have such an excellent weapon and are a different kind of beast anyway: They are cheaper and more flexible. They should make use of that. To me, that means to get rid of the autocannon and getting another terminator for only 5 more points.

@OP
Wüstenfux mentioned "shock and awe" as a strategy for terminators. If you're going to use terminators as offensive tool, I would not split them. If you're going for a counter-charge setup, for example in a big shooty army (noise marines and obliterators come to mind), smaller squads do make sense to protect your outstretched front.

As for your setup with heavy flamer, combi-flamer, reaper, lightning-claws and combi-melta, I'd call this a bit too diverse. Good against a lot of different types of opponents, yet doesn't excel against anything. It seems you do not want to change the setup since you built the models that way, but really: Specialize. And the reaper cannon sucks in any setup.

Personally, I use terminators only as counter to other terminators (a friend of mine uses the 10 SM terminators with CML, for example, which is a hell of a lot of mobile firepower, another 8-10 Grey Knight terminators, which means death in CC for almost everything). Giving them a mark of slaneesh makes them strike before all other terminators. I like to keep their numbers small for maneuverability but make them really expensive with a pair of lightning claws and upgrading them to champions. Other than that, I have not found a purpose that other troops (mainly PM) could not fulfill better.