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My 10 year old son plays CSM and we're going to a tournament at our local bunker at the end of the month. This is what he took to the last tournament (1500 pts):

HQ
Abaddon (275)
Daemon Prince (200)Mark of Tzeentch; Bolt of Tzeentch; Wind of Chaos; Flight.

Elites
6 Chaos Terminators (290) Mark of Tzentch; 4× Power Weapon; Power Fist; Chainfist; 5× Combi Weapon; Reaper Autocannon.

Troops
9 Khorne Berserkers (209)• Skull Champion: Melta Bombs.
5 Plague Marines (120)• Plague Champion
5 Plague Marines (120)• Plague Champion

Heavy Support
3 Obliterator Cult (210)

Other
Chaos Rhino (35)
Chaos Rhino (35)

1,494 points

I'm looking for advice on what to add / remove / adjust.

Thanks.

With the heavy Support, split them into 3 Obliterators, not 1 cult. That way, they have the choice to shoot multiple targets and any overkill will be pointless. E.G. Causing 3 wounds would kill 1 oblit and put a wound on another in the cult, but with single oblits, it would just kill 1 and thats it.

How are the transports split? do both plague squads have a rhino each or do the 'zerkers have one?

Too many HQ's, if he wants to just have fun and be casual, fine... and seriously at 10, he SHOULD be casual... not an elitist person, that will just lose him friends and alienate people.

But Abbadon is only really competetive in like 2-3000pt games, he just costs too much. The little squads need some love too, the plaguemarines are good, but really need some extra weapons, like plasma guns (or if they can legally use them, meltaguns)

For a 10 year old though, its fine. Being that young, its nice to take a daft character like abbadon, even if you don't win, you'll have fun.

Cavalyn wrote:Too many HQ's, if he wants to just have fun and be casual, fine... and seriously at 10, he SHOULD be casual... not an elitist person, that will just lose him friends and alienate people.

But Abbadon is only really competetive in like 2-3000pt games, he just costs too much. The little squads need some love too, the plaguemarines are good, but really need some extra weapons, like plasma guns (or if they can legally use them, meltaguns)

For a 10 year old though, its fine. Being that young, its nice to take a daft character like abbadon, even if you don't win, you'll have fun.

Short of a parental command not to bring him, I don't think I could talk him out of taking Abbadon.

The list I posted is the 1500 list he took to our last local tournament. With the extra 500 points we were thinking of bumping up the size of the Plague Marine squads and adding in some heavy weapons like you said. And probably a third Rhino or similar so all three troop squads have a transport. He ran the berserkers in one rhino, and a 5x squad of Plague Marines in the other, with the second squad of Plague Marines walking on and claiming a near field objective.

Each squad should have a rhino.

Power fists for those champions. Plasma guns for the plague troops (NOT the champions).


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Each squad should have a rhino.

Power fists for those champions. Plasma guns for the plague troops (NOT the champions).

With a list like your sons he is going to have alot of fun - I have special characters in my army and abaddon is the best of the best

How about for this tournament if he wants to try and win a few more games;

HQ
Abaddon (275)

Elites
6 Chaos Terminators; Mark of Tzentch; 4× Power Weapon; Power Fist; Chainfist; 5× Combi Weapon; Reaper Autocannon (290)

Troops
9 Khorne Berserkers; Skull Champion pwr fist and Chaos Rhino (264)
9 Plague Marines; Plague Champion, personal icon, melta bombs (232)
9 Plague Marines; Plague Champion, personal icon, melta bombs (232)

Heavy Support
obliterator (75)
obliterator (75)
obliterator (75)

Total = 1498

This list seems to be better for you son - He will have a load of fun with abaddon in this - the obliterators can target three different units per turn as an earlier poster mentioned and his bezerkers are going to get to grips with the enemy fast or if their transport get disabled they can stay behind the plague marines and act as a counter charge unit.

The plague marines can advance forward, moving from cover to cover and act as homing beacons for abaddon to deep strike onto the field reducing the amount of fire he and the terminators have to take as well as providinfg immediate back up for the marines against close combat foes or tanks

hope this helped

Umm his points are a little over with the deamon prince. Atleast thats what army builder says he was over by 50 points.

wpago wrote:Umm his points are a little over with the deamon prince. Atleast thats what army builder says he was over by 50 points.

Huh, when I counted it up using the Codex it came to 1534. The second Rhino put it over.

As for improvements, I'd say stick power fists on the plague champions. At Initiative 3 they go after most enemies who need powerfisting anyway so it's no loss.With Berzerkers, however, giving them a power fist reduces attacks (only pairs of powerfists count for having two single handed weapons in assault) and means that he's striking last, making the initiative bonus from furious charge useless for the skull champion. In light of that, I'd say a normal power weapon for the skull champion, so you're getting the maximum number of attacks in before your enemy can strike back. Also I'd say stick some personal icons on the champions so Abaddon and his Terminator retinue (I assume he goes in the same unit?) can deep strike with no scatter by dropping next to them.

As others have said, ideally transports for everyone so you can get to objectives quickly. Once you've got a unit of Plague Marines sitting on one it's gonna take a lot to shift them off and your berzerkers are going to be cutting through any units the opponent has on objectives.

I'd say that boosting the Plague Marine units up is a good investment (7 is Nurgles number, it may bring luck but it's up to you and your son ) and equipping them with some plasma or meltas would be a good bet. They're solid, reliable soldiers, especially for holding objectives as feel no pain is going to keep them up from normal shooting and fearless is going to mean that an assault will have to kill every last one. With Berzerkers, the more the merrier though of course if they're rhinoing they're limited to ten.

in the new list, consider dropping the Plague Marines to 7 in order to get a rhino for them. And some special weapons if points allow...

I dont have the codex with me now but this is what I'd suggest

Drop the DP and add in a Chaos Lord of Khorne with Daemon weapon & melta bombs he will be lots more fun and at this points level the DP will be too much of a target. Attach him to the Berzerker squad.

Give the berzerker Champ a power fist

Give the first plague marine squad plasma guns (these will be your objective holding squad), drop the champ from this unit.

Give the other squad meta guns and the champ a powerfist these will be your tank/dreadnought hunters

Leave the terms as they are as I expect they are a favourite.

Make sure you have 3 rhinos one for each troop choice, the berzerker and plague squad with melta could have combi meltas on their rhinos.

Split the oblits in to three single units.

With those changes I expect you will still have a good few hundred points left to spend to get to 2000, I'd suggest another troop choice with rhino and any other spare points spend on oblits or something else with long range weapons..

Another suggestion if you DS your terms or abaddon give the plague marines icons as well.

Thanks for all the replies, I like the idea of splitting the obliterators into three single man teams.

Looks like we'll need to greenstuff up some more plague marines.

Are summoned daemons (greater or lesser) worth including at all?

Not really. They dont have any wargear or abilities. They are just bodies.