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I play CSM, mainly TSons with Khorne supprt, and I ran into a bit of a snare at my first tournament last week.

I learned to fear the Leman Russ.

As it stands, I'm limited to my Zerks, Sons, and a Chaos Sorcerer, but more boxes will come in time.

What can I do with what I have to make me less demolishable by tanks?

try and fit a melta gun in their somewhere

Rhinos can mount Combi-Meltas. Chaos Sorcerer with the Mark of Tzeentch, and Aspiring Sorcerers, can take the Bolt of Change. Daemon Princes open tanks fairly well, but tend to be fire magnets. I'd recommend something like Terminators, Chosen, Havocs, Bikers, or Raptors, with Meltas. A unit of five Raptors with two Melta Guns will set you back 120 pts.

Also, it's worth it in small games to take minimum sized units to maximize the number of units you have, meaning overkill from tank fire doesn't kill any more of your troops than strictly necessary since, barring special units, a unit can only shoot one unit per turn.

Would it ever be advantageous to make really large units?

Outflanking chosen work nicely, when outfitted with Meltaguns. By that point in the game (Turn 3ish), though, his tanks might have already finished their job.

As Nurglitch said, though, raptors work well when outfitted with Melta. Additionally, you could just run squads across the board in Rhinos (if you have any), then beat up the tanks with PF's.

Let me know what you have, specifically, from what you said, it sounds like you just have a squad of Zerks, a Squad of TS, and a sorc.

Gavo wrote:Outflanking chosen work nicely, when outfitted with Meltaguns. By that point in the game (Turn 3ish), though, his tanks might have already finished their job.

As Nurglitch said, though, raptors work well when outfitted with Melta. Additionally, you could just run squads across the board in Rhinos (if you have any), then beat up the tanks with PF's.

Let me know what you have, specifically, from what you said, it sounds like you just have a squad of Zerks, a Squad of TS, and a sorc.

Yeah, I'm about limited to that. Anything I should do with those? Stick to Powerfist and Bolt of Change?

Partof1:

It can be if you're using non-Fearless troops, but you're using Fearless troops so they should be spread amongst as many units as possible to preserve them.

Something you might consider is taking a Chaos Dreadnought, but you'll need to discuss the controversy concerned the Crazed rule with them before playing. They're not great, but they're cheap and can mount a Multi-Melta and Missile Launcher.

That could work for me, actually. My plan anyway was to get another box or 2 of troops, then a Chaos Dread. I understand they may not be reliable, but I play for fun. Winning is just extra

Speaking of getting a Chaos Dreadnought, I'd suggest picking up one of the new Space Marine Venerable Dreadnoughts and suitably modifying it. The metal ones are awful.

Thanks for the tip. They come with all the warggear available to the Chaos one, right?

if your going down the dread route, i suggest twin DCCW and shield your troops with a rhino.
if the dread goes fire crazy bolters cant hurt the rhino and he just stands still for one turn.
have you tried havocs with las cannons, a squad with 4 with an icon of chaos glory (for rerolled moral checks) will cost 225 points which is a lot but its a squad with 4 LAS CANNONS, what more can you ask

Well as a guard player I have to ask, which leman russ was he using?

Something with a demolisher cannon. It was nasty, but fun if you're the one shooting with it.

Well the Leman Russ demolisher has one huge shortcoming, it's range is only 24 inches. Also, make sure he places the template first, then measures range as per the rules. If the center hole is outside 24 inches then it misses and is not placed. I would get predators with all lascannons and stay back and blast. Any gun you bring will outrange him

How about infantry based counters? Havocs, perhaps? Termies?

Terminators will have to get close with Combi-Meltas, which means you'll be exposed until they can Deep Strike into position. Havocs with Lascannons will have range and power, but a Predator will be cheaper for an equivalent number of Lascannons.

My only worry with the Pred is cost in money. I'm in high school without a job, so cheaper is more or less better.

I would go with termicide or raptors- both if you go a bigger game. Give your squads icons to DS, same with the raptors, and don't forget to pop smoke. Icon's help, depending how far up your raptors/rhino's make it, but termicide has had a pretty consistant performer for me. Giving 1 or 2 squads heavy flamers is good, It's cheap and effective. Havoc's with HW are good for transport popping/shooting up infantry that come out of said transports, but not really cost effective IMO for taking out AV14 at range. Giving them 4 meltaguns, though, makes them a scary anti-tank unit- a IoCG to help guide those terminators makes it more so!

In small games? Ramming with rhinos.

Seriously though, try and get some normal CSM in there; Thousand Sons are terribad because of their inability to deal with armour and how 4+ cover renders their one advantage moot. A powerfist and a pair of meltas'll set you up nicely.