Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So, I wanted to field Vindicators instead of Obliterators at least once... so my train of thought was:

1. Damn, a single Vindicator gets shot up easily.
2. Damn, even two Vindicators get shot up easily, but at least they can protect their flanks .
3. Damn, three Vindicators sound good, but if they are the only vehicles in my army, they'll eat all the anti-tank fire
4. I need another vehicle, but my heavy slots are full...
5. In the distant future, there are only flying rodent gak-crazy dreadnoughts
6. Dreadnoughts geared for CC are cheap, though
7. A pair of dreadnoughts can shoot at each other harmlessly and does not kill other troops of mine
8. If I lose one of the pair, the trick won't work - and I've been talking about this grand scheme to my opponents for quite some time...
9. I need three dreadnoughts! Simple as that!
10. Now that I've started a "denial of service"/"target saturation" setup, I can add other fragile creatures...
11. My daemon princes won't be the only targets for once!
12. I can add my daemon princes at last!
13. Phew, that came close to being actual work! Good that I only have one troop type I really like, so I do not have to think about that...

===
1850 Pts - Chaos Marines Roster - MC Nurgle

2x HQ: Daemon Prince (1#, 175 Pts)
1 Daemon Prince @ 175 Pts
Close Combat Weapon; Fearless; Wings; Mark of Nurgle; Warptime (x1)

3x Troops: Plague Marines (8#, 249 Pts)
7 Plague Marines @ 249 Pts
Bolt Pistol; Close Combat Weapon; Bolter; Meltagun (x2); Blight Grenades; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Fearless; Feel No Pain; Mark of Nurgle
1 Plague Champion @ [68] Pts
Bolt Pistol; Power Fist; Bolter; Blight Grenades; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Melta Bombs; Fearless; Feel No Pain; Mark of Nurgle

3x Elite: Dreadnought (1#, 105 Pts)
1 Dreadnought @ 105 Pts
Crazed; Dreadnought CCW; Heavy Flamer; Dreadnought CCW; Twin Linked Bolter; Searchlight; Smoke Launchers

3x Heavy Support: Vindicator (1#, 145 Pts)
1 Vindicator @ 145 Pts
Daemonic Possession; Demolisher Cannon; Dozer Blade; Searchlight; Smoke Launchers

Total Roster Cost: 1847
===

One might call it a desperate attempt not to play Lash of Submission + Obliterators, or "a home for crazed robots", but I like it strategy-wise, too. Don't mention the model count, though...

Admittedly I like it even more because I finally found a use for two metal dreadnought models that have been lying around for quite some time.

Any thoughts on weaknesses? Strengths, even? Nob bikers will cry, right? What about perceived style / army composition score?

Hmm. an hour later I take a look at Stelek's and: http://yesthetruthhurts.blogspot.com/2009/02/2k-plague-marines.html

Add 250 points to the rooster max, take EA for the dreads, replace the Vindicators with Defilers, remove some PM and the meltas. Which do you think is better?

Defilers I think are a bit better, as they add more close combat attacks. This will be a good thing. Meltas/plasmas on the plague marines and you won't miss the AP2.

Defilers will die easier. AV 13 compared to AV 12 is a big difference, not to mention that the defiler is a huge model so putting it behind cover is hard.

The point of that other list is to have big CC nasties (DPs, dreads and defilers) that dont really do much shooting but run at the enemy and beat it up in combat (im still not sold on the idea, i need to playtest it some more). Then you will need extra armour on your dreads to make them get here.

So it depends what sort of list you want to build.