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Hi all,

a few days ago I asked you guys how to start my CSM army, thanks again for all the input. Now the kits are here and I have to decide how to build them. The question is directed at 2 things: what army list (with detailed equip for every unit) would you build out of it and with which weapons would you literally build the mass models (I will magnetise the character models and vehicles as far as possible)?

I have the following at my disposal:
CSM Battleforce
Chaos Terminator Lord/Chaos Sorcerer Lord (which one should I build until I buy another one?)
5 Chaos Terminators
Chaos Vindicator
7 Plague Marines
Demon Prince

Thanks a lot in advance!

I am just starting my CSM as well, and so am no expert, but what I would do with this is the following:

Convert all the terminators into obliterators by slapping more weapons on their arms. Leftover bits and extra weapons especially from IG would be useful and cool-looking. Frankly, I do not like the current obliterator models - too much skin pulled and twisted, and their posture is one of drugged diarrhic gorillas. CSM termies seem to be a cheaper way to do them. Obliterators seem to be a far more useful model than CSM termies, based on dakka discussions and my own interviewing players at FLGS.

Plaguers should have plasma guns, because they can survive the gets hot by armor save followed by FNP save. Standing on objectives, they will likely make better use of the plasma than the melta with more shots.

The battle force has berzerkers and the rhino, which is good. So, assemble them by codex to full capacity of the rhino. The codex allows 2 plasma pistols per squad, but I don't see the point. Inherently, the squad is anti-swarm, so who cares about the two plasma shots? Also, it would be really lame to have a berzerker get killed by his own pistol (no FNP) just before the assault - Khorne will not be pleased.

Possessed are believed to be overpriced for what they do. Other people suggest keeping them for bits to spruce up the rest of the force. I think they may be useful to make converted champions distinct. Another way is to use their mutated arms for power fists in other squads, but you have got to be in the mutations fluff for that.

It is not clear if the prince is the mutated marine type or the gargoyle type. If it is the gargoyle, it would be cool to put a SM jumpack on him instead of the wings - it is distinct and makes him a smaller target.

Have fun!

Good luck with your new army, CSM is a minor obsession of mine. The first thing I would do is get the codex, if you haven't already, read it front to back and make a couple of lists before you even build anything. This way you can get an idea of the type of army you want to build, rather than what I ended up doing which was build everything and then go ok, this is what I have, what can I do with it. You will be frustrated by that cool looking model that doesn't fit into your army.

Another piece of advice right off the bat, get at least 2-3 obliterators. Convert a couple terminators, go buy some models, whatever you like. They are a versitile heavy choice that can really do some damage.

For your Lord, if you're going to keep the Terminators as Terminators, then I would go with Dual LC, and I would try and do the same for the whole squad (Lightning Claws for all!). They will shred anything on the board. Sick. I have 20 terminators and I thoroughly enjoy them. I would not convert them to Obliterators unless you're not going to put them in your list (this is why you build lists first).

Is your demon prince the plastic kit? If it is then I would suggest magnetizing wings for it. You won't use them all the time, but it'll be nice to just attach them when you want. MoN w/Warptime is fun or a Lash Prince is also a very very good HQ choice.

Possessed are my least favorite elite choice in this codex. They cost a lot and aren't that great. Terminators or Chosen CSM are a better option. Terminators, MoK, Combi-flamers, heavy flamer, Land Raider = good and killy. Chosen, infiltrate, 4xPlasmagun - Anti-Infy or 4xMeltagun - Anti-Tank.

Plaguemarines in a Rhino with 2xPlasmaguns and a Champ with a powerfist. You can dump them on an objective and the extra toughness + FnP will make them hard to uproot. Or 2xMeltaguns is a great mobile threat, ride around and shoot at tanks.

Berserkers - Again in a Rhino with a powerfist champ, makes another great CC unit that can cause some real damage. A full squad of 10 can throw 31 attacks, 27 at strength 5 and 4 with the powerfist. Also good and killy.

The vindicator is great, but 2 of them is better. I've had some great success with these, but they'll draw a lot of heavy fire very early on in the game. Daemonic Possession shouldn't be overlooked. Yes it's -1 BS but just don't scatter that badly and stuff still dies.






Automatically Appended Next Post:
Another comment worth making, keep your sorcerer bits from the Chaos Lord/Sorcerer kit. You can convert a terminator into a sorcerer if you're so inclined. I took the Force Staff from the kit, trimmed the shoulder and fit it onto a standard CSM. It's a simple but effective kit bash.

Allright, thanks for the hints so far I won't convert the Terminators to Obliterators since I love Terminator armor since I started 40k all those years ago and now I have some of them myself instead of shooting them to pieces Instead I'll buy some of the real models I guess.

The prince is the multi part plastic kit, I'll magnetise it, I already did that with the one for my girlfriend's chaos daemon army and it worked quite well.

I'll assemble the possessed, I usually want to try units in game before I discard them. So many people hate Eldar Swooping Hawks, but I like them and have used them with great success. So I guess I will try the possessed. Or play them if I feel like having something random in the army. *g*

Btw, are chaos dreadnoughts worth the points? And the chaos defiler?

I link to several army lists here in which I give feedback on using most of these units:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/330980.page#2174757

Just returned from a FLGS and I gotta say I love finecast... cause they reduced the prices on the metal minis to get them off the shelves xD

So I now have in addition (all in metal, yay!):
2 Obliterators
Abaddon
Chaos Terminator with Reaper Cannon
Chaos Space Marine Sorcerer


Thanks for the links to the lists with discussions, I'll have a look at it now

Wait till higher-point games to play with Abaddon. He's not as tough as you think, and will suck away your points.

Possessed are one of those things that could win or lose you the game - just more often losing it than winning it. Seriously get a 6 result and morph power weapons? They'll tear through the enemy like they weren't there. The rest of them.....eh....

What do you regard as higher-point games?

2,000+

Ah thanks, well, guess I'll have those 2k points soon enough

Use those terminators as counts as obliterators. One team of three up high, two that deepstrike in behind a tank.

If you like the termis which you said you do...give them a few combi weapons.
Run your demon prince with the mark of slannessh and lash of submission. that way you can move your foes models up and out of cover and into a large blast template shape so your vinicator can get the work done with ease. Chaos sorcerer seems like a better deal than the chaos lord. You could run this instead of the prince and make it alot easier for your termis to get to grips with the enemy by using lash to move them up into charge range.

Chaos dreads kinda suck sometimes. Best to run them with 2 CCW and just run them strait at the enemy. 4 attacks on the charge isnt that bad at all.

Have fun. I just started playing my deathgaurd after 5 years of assembly. welcome to the fold chaos brother.

It'd be 5 attacks on the charge actually.

I'm currently b uilding a CSM army as well. My plan involves Thousand Sons as fire support because magic bolters. A predator because I love tanks. A lord and a half squad of possessed. I've found the possessed work well if you get fleet as well. Managed to munch a whole squad of kabalites turn two.