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For lower point games are chaos terminators a good investment? As my Chaos selection is rather limited I came up with a list that I think would be effective considering how dirt cheap the chaos terminators are compared to other TEQ. 30 pts base is a great start for 2 power weapon attacks and a 2+/5++ save and when you look at the lower point games, the idea of "termicide" isn't really applicable in my opinion because even 3-5 termies can survive a withering amount of firepower and in smaller games there usually isn't enough to bring them down in a timely manner.

Also, as you generally have to bring fewer troops in 1000-1500 pt games (unless you're orks) I think the Chaos Termies are a really great deal for all that they can bring to the table. The standard "termicide" unit is 105 points and I think in a 1000 point game it becomes a real powerhouse considering the versatility and effectiveness of such a generally tough unit. I think that expanding on these kinds of squads only gets you more bang for your buck especially when adding an icon for whatever purpose they're designed for.

In my most recent iteration of a 1500 pt list I decided to toss in 9 terminators, 4 will DS off Icons I have scattered in the field and 5 will roll in a possessed LR and charge with 20 lightning claw attacks and 4 power fist attacks.

It's hard for me to really find a downside to chaos terminators (unless you get really upgrade happy). I'm looking forward to running my "termie heavy" 1500 list and I was wondering what other people's thoughts where on them, especially at the lower point scales where I think their general power and survivability shine the best.

I wouldn't call 1500 points "lower" per se. At 1000 points I run two Nurgle DPs and a Summoned Greater to devastating effect. The Termi's have the same principle, you're just relying on a good save vs. a high toughness. At 30 points they really aren't bad, and you could drop a squad of four in at 1000 and probably not miss what you were losing, but gain some good benefit from them being there. The main thing I could see hurting is gun-line armies that include things with AP2 (I've fought three Vindis at 1000 and man is it annoying), effectively making the termis a bit more expensive fodder. I doubt there would be that much of it though and you probably pick a zone away from there to drop them.

You have to ask yourself - are 5 terminators better than a full squad of 10 CSM for the same points? In almost every situation - no, i dont think so.

Chaos Terminators (my favourite models and the reason I did chaos) in my opinion are pretty useless, if not for the termicide. Having 10 CSM in a rhino with 2 meltas are going to outperform terminators everytime in my opinion. The only situation I can see them being more useful are against an AP3 heavy army, like thousand sons. Thats where they slaughter (especially when 1k sons get a wopping 1 attack back)

Be careful about certain armies. Just because it's a "low points" game doesn't mean that you won't face stuff that reams Terminators. Orks can definitely fit in enough boyz even at 1000 to dogpile Terminators to death.

While I agree that terminators are not a solution to every problem, in my experience if the terminators get the charge on the orks, the orks can consider themselves as good as dead without significant reinforcement.

I also agree that normal CSM can handle a lot of situations I feel that most chaos players are remiss in not taking advantage of terminators that are so cheaply priced and so good at what they do. 5 termies with an IOK 4 single lightning claws/combimeltas and a p-fist is a crapload of power weapon attacks that can crack open any transport and still assault from a LR. With most powerhouse units being stored in a LR/wave serpent/other high armor transport, I think this ability to wipe out the transport followed by an assault is integral to such a CC oriented army as the CSM have turned into.

Plus this variant is very strong against MCs or just about anything really.

Also a DS termicide unit off a nearby Icon tends to remove those pesky vindicators in my experience

Night Lords wrote:You have to ask yourself - are 5 terminators better than a full squad of 10 CSM for the same points? In almost every situation - no, i dont think so.

Chaos Terminators (my favourite models and the reason I did chaos) in my opinion are pretty useless, if not for the termicide. Having 10 CSM in a rhino with 2 meltas are going to outperform terminators everytime in my opinion. The only situation I can see them being more useful are against an AP3 heavy army, like thousand sons. Thats where they slaughter (especially when 1k sons get a wopping 1 attack back)

I disagree with this. Because terminators can DS they can get to where you need them with combi-meltas and a heavy flamer. They are also better at killing exerything in combat, apart from GEQs. With proper weapons i think terminators can do everything that CSM can and more, other than score. CSM are too vulnerable, even in a rhino and dont cause much of a threat with only two meltas.

Generally dont take terminators in games <1250pts, and then dont take many. In 1500pt games you can take a squad of 5-7. Only think about taking bigger squads in games of 1850pts+.

Regwon wrote:

Night Lords wrote:You have to ask yourself - are 5 terminators better than a full squad of 10 CSM for the same points? In almost every situation - no, i dont think so.

Chaos Terminators (my favourite models and the reason I did chaos) in my opinion are pretty useless, if not for the termicide. Having 10 CSM in a rhino with 2 meltas are going to outperform terminators everytime in my opinion. The only situation I can see them being more useful are against an AP3 heavy army, like thousand sons. Thats where they slaughter (especially when 1k sons get a wopping 1 attack back)

I disagree with this. Because terminators can DS they can get to where you need them with combi-meltas and a heavy flamer.

Hence termicide. However, to say theyre not going to get completely leveled when in a nice diamond shaped formation would be pretty far off, which is why you only take 3.

take 3 or 4 terminators in a squad, give them combi-weapons, and deep strike them. This is almost always effective.

Normal CSM's will typically outperform. However, in 2k+ games I normally run 2 squads in Rhinos. Dual LC's with mark of slanesh is insane against any marine army. Being able to kill off 6-7 troops before they get a swing is devestating!

Below 1500 points, tho, I rarely run my termis. Normal CSM, Khorne, or Plague Marines work much better. At that low point total Meltas and Plasmas are pretty rampant and termis fail hard against such weapons.

Termicide is your friend

3 Chaos Terminators
Combimelta
Combimelta
H. Flamer ; Chainfist

125 points of sexy goodness.


Oh and I love Terminators a Model that is BASE COST 30 points and comes w/ a 2+ w/ 5+ invulnerable and a powerweapon.

HELL YEAH.


We had a huge thread on Chaos Terms a while back and pound for pound they are awesome. Keep them Dirt cheap and under the 34 to 37 points per model and you have a unit that is cheap and awesome.


Sure a 10 man nob w/ all the fixing can assault your 10 man Chaos Term w/ 2 Combimeltas Mark of Tzeetch and 3 Chainfists. Big Deal. You paid 405 points you go before them with power weapons which ignore their feel no pain. You have 6 powerfist attacks back.


Terminators are awesome , cheap and overall pound for pound one of the best units in the codex.

The basic summation of the thread was ; small elite heavy hitting units that drop in and take out transports and create a real threat with Termicide and Big Giant CHEAP UNITS that are a big F off to other units.


Fear the Champion Lighting Claw Term Squad w/ 60 attacks on the charge and a 4 + invulnerable.

That example would kill 1.75 Nobs before they swing, or 0 if they are screwing around with wound allocation. They have 2 wounds each, you know. 7 terminators with 2 S4 WS4 power weapon attacks will get about 7 hits, 3.5 wounds, divided by 2 wounds per nob means 1.75. Then they hit you with 40(? I think they get 4 attacks on the charge, pretty sure at least) attacks back, many of them powerklaw attacks and the rest at least big choppa attacks. Nobs kill things dead in CC, no question. Not really the best way to brag about termies.

They are great when applied properly though. Just prey on things you expect them to be able to handle.

I had a friend (RIP). Who used to run 3 squads of 4 chaos termies... at about 1250pts. Yeah. A lot of chaos termies, nasty.

When I used to play Choas. I once ran like three squads of three termies, and then as many CSM's as i could fit in (1K Points_

Played with it for one day, it crushed a Ultramarines army, tau and a DIY SM chapter.

This was like a year back though, when Mech wasnt everywhere.

For their point value and option to get combi weapons ; Chaos Terminators are a excellent buy out of the codex and more people should use them in lists.

I agree with nightlords that in most cases 10 csms do better than 5 terminators. The extra attack, lower save, and invul save are outdone by having 2 models instead of one which essentially gives you double the bolter fire, double the wounds, and they can take objectives. Their transport is also extremely cheap compared to the land raider terms have to take if they don't want to deep strike. I think if you're going to run terminators you really need to think about what role you want them to play and equip them with only the upgrades that help them perform that role. I just find that in most cases I am better served by a chosen squad infiltrating in with special weapons of the type that helps me most against my enemy or a regular csm squad which gives me double the bodies and just as much punch in close combat/shooting/objective holding.