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ok so i just bought a box of the lovely plastic terminators (closing down sale at a local hobby shop - couldnt resist!)

so i was wondering, what loadouts would you give? i'm not a fan of magnetising so dont suggest that!

heavy flamer or reaper autocannon?

would you deep strike them with the heavy flamer? or would the autocannon with maybe a combi melta or two be better for popping tanks in the rear armour?

OR would you have them on the board from turn one with reaper autocannon (so that they are able to do something in the shooting phase)

also, whats with all the power mauls and axes? should i get onto a bits website and get some power sword arms?

i'm sure everyone has a different opinion on what makes for a good squad of termi's so i'm interested in hearing it


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i'd like to point out that i had previously ran a black legion csm army in the past with a squad of termi's but never had much joy with them

i like the mini's, enjoyed painting them, but never sure what exactly to do with them!

Well, I'd take the reaper autocannon, four combi-plasmas, and one chain fist, unless you want a Termicide unit.

hmmm ok that sounds interesting, would you deep strike them or not? and what about the close combat weapons? would you use axes, mauls or swords?

 muleyyy wrote:
hmmm ok that sounds interesting, would you deep strike them or not? and what about the close combat weapons? would you use axes, mauls or swords?

Well, deep striking? It will depend on the opponent. If you know that a Trygon will appear close to your front ranks, then it will be better to deploy them normally. Generally, with a reaper autocannon its better to deploy normally. If you have a Tervigon in the enemy back field, then deep striking them close to it would be an option.

Axes, mauls, or swords? The codex seems to offer only the option of swords, doesn't it?

No, actually in the codex it says "power weapon" as their wargear

that could be sword, axe or mace, the chaos termi models come with mace and axe but no sword

Reaper autocannon if foot-slogging, heavy flamer in a rhino. D/S - not sure, I think it's pretty risky to teleport them in as they don't havr the survivability of TH/SS loyalists.

Combi weapons are a given - only reason not to max out on these is because of twin LCs or because the model has a heavy weapon instead!

What meta are you playing against?

Alot of MEQ: get some plasma and power swords
Alot of Terminators: plasma and axes
Alot of tanks: melta and mauls
Alot of horde: flamers and mauls

But I think a healthy mix would be nice, atleast for the melee weapons. The range weapons should be focused on one thing.
Also, remember to gear some of them cheap, just a maul and combi bolter to stay up front and soak the shooting.
A popular equipment on the champion seems to be a fist and a lightningclaw. Expensive but very flexible and +1 attack.

The reaper autocannon is kind of overpriced but it nice if you are going to be footslogging.

The heavy flamer counters what terminators hate, hordes.

As for the rest of the lot, I go counter to conventional wisdom. I like mauls, axes, and lightning claws. On the champion I usually go for an axe as his upgrades are just too expensive. I sometime.

Combiwise I think if you are facing hordes you should go with combi flamer, if facing meq or teq go with combi plas

Some people like fists, I dont really think they are worth it. Perhaps a chainfist on a large unit.


for me combi melta are only useful for termicide.
3 terminators 3 combi melta, champion and a regular guy with a maul/sword/axe. Regular dude with chainfist.

I my opponents are likely to be csm ravenwing dark angels and orks

Terminators can't ride in a rhino, also how are they less survivable? They get the same 5+ inv

I always found they died quickly after deep striking, though I havnt played 40k since 4th edition back then there was more that could hurt termis

From what i understand (i am kind of new to usign them as well) the beauty of chaos terminators is their versatilty. You can take a load of power weapons and then chuck in a couepl of a reaper and some bolters for ranged nastiness.

I tend to field the follwoing at the moment:

Champion with lightning claw and chain fist
1 with bolter + power maul
1 with reaper/heavy flamer + power maul
1 with bolter + power axe
1 with combi melta + power axe

The Champ will smacka lot of peope around in challenges (killed Mephiston in my last apoc game, i was so proud!!)

I've tried my chaos termies both deep striking and starting the game on the field turn one. I've had more luck with them when they start the game on the table. I have a squad of 10 of them (expensive I know) with 2 reaper auto cannons, 3 combi meltas, 2 combi flamers, 2 power axes (from 5th otherwise I would have gone with swords) 5 power fists and 3 chain fists. It's an expensive unit which I only use in big games but it packs a punch.

Suicide melta termies with powerweapons are where it's at for me. A unit of 5 DS to deal with an enemy armored unit, or TEQ, is the idea, and pretty cheap to boot. Plus your opponent then has termies to deal with which arn't fun for some armies. They'll die but they will make their points back.

 muleyyy wrote:
I my opponents are likely to be csm ravenwing dark angels and orks

Terminators can't ride in a rhino, also how are they less survivable? They get the same 5+ inv

I always found they died quickly after deep striking, though I havnt played 40k since 4th edition back then there was more that could hurt termis

Loyal ones usually have 3+ inv, because of their stormshields.

Regarding the decking I usually go with 2 combimeltas & power axes/fists when they ride as my termie lord bodyguard on a LR, popping out vehicles so that they can assault whatever is inside or kill 2 heavy infantry units.

If walking on their own thou I'd probably go with reaper autocannon and combi-plasmas as sugested above.

If deepstriking combi-meltas to deal with armored units on the back.

On the close combat weapon matter i've found axes to be the best choice, having 2+ sv they will rarely die against anything that is higher I than 1, maybe just leave the champion with power sword for challenges, it sucks when you get double K.O. from a PA marine wielding an axe.


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Also there are no power swords on the chaos termies kit... sure you can mod some, but axes/fists are better almost everytime

I like to use my terminators with MoS, dual lightening claws, and infiltrate them using Huron.

This way they can potentially get within 12" on the first turn and get a turn 2 charge off. I usually throw in a chain fist and a few combi weapons as well. I prefer to do this with units of at least 6 terminators so that they'll actually make it into combat.

Or keep them at 5, buy a dedicated LR and infiltrate them inside of it for extra fun, not many opponents will like having a full land raider 18" (or 12" if there are large LOS obstructions) on turn one.

I run a unit of 6 for my Emperor's Children build.

2 powerfists, 4 power weapons
1 heavy flamer, 1 combi-flamer, 1 combi-melta, 3 combi-bolters
Mark of Slaanesh

I deep strike them, they only have to survive 1 turn, then they wreck face. The flamers allow some decent output on the turn they come in. The melta is there in case of a bothersome vehicle.

 Lord Yayula wrote:


Loyal ones usually have 3+ inv, because of their stormshields.

the stormshield is a wargear option that costs extra points? it adds 2 to the invulnerable save these days?? in 4th edition it only gave a 4+, its pretty hard to get better than a 4+ through wargear i would have thought


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ok i checked the books, the assult terminators can have either lightening claws or thunderhammer and storm shield, but cost 200pts base, a 5 man chaos termi unit with your choice of power weapons is nearly 50pts less

 muleyyy wrote:

 Lord Yayula wrote:


Loyal ones usually have 3+ inv, because of their stormshields.

the stormshield is a wargear option that costs extra points? it adds 2 to the invulnerable save these days?? in 4th edition it only gave a 4+, its pretty hard to get better than a 4+ through wargear i would have thought


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ok i checked the books, the assult terminators can have either lightening claws or thunderhammer and storm shield, but cost 200pts base, a 5 man chaos termi unit with your choice of power weapons is nearly 50pts less

yeah but your choice doenst include powerfists, or you will end up costing 190 points and still not have ATSKNF. The Stormshield is the most broken piece of wargear around. Worth a lot more than a stormbolter, but GW wont relent.

lol whats next a 5 up invulnerable for power armour?

You already have it, sort of.

In the Chaos Codex, you can give your PA guys Mark of Tzeentch for a 6++.

Also in the Chaos Codex, Possessed are Daemons with PA, so that's a 3+/5++. You can give them Mark of Tzeentch for a 3+/4++.

Finally, in the FW HH book, you can take siege shields on PA guys for a 5++ in Close Combat and 6++ from shooting.


On the topic of terminators, I'm working through ideas for my own Chaos terminators now. I was thinking a 3x melta-scide unit with MoT and combi-meltas, but have been talking myself out of it. Still pondering over this one, myself, I'm afraid.

 muleyyy wrote:
lol whats next a 5 up invulnerable for power armour?

only for loyalists. They have to give up their combat squading for it, but it's a 4++ every turn but the first.

 Exergy wrote:

 muleyyy wrote:
lol whats next a 5 up invulnerable for power armour?

only for loyalists. They have to give up their combat squading for it, but it's a 4++ every turn but the first.

What are you referring to?

 kronk wrote:
You already have it, sort of.

In the Chaos Codex, you can give your PA guys Mark of Tzeentch for a 6++.

Also in the Chaos Codex, Possessed are Daemons with PA, so that's a 3+/5++. You can give them Mark of Tzeentch for a 3+/4++.

Finally, in the FW HH book, you can take siege shields on PA guys for a 5++ in Close Combat and 6++ from shooting.


On the topic of terminators, I'm working through ideas for my own Chaos terminators now. I was thinking a 3x melta-scide unit with MoT and combi-meltas, but have been talking myself out of it. Still pondering over this one, myself, I'm afraid.

If you are going termicide don't buy them any mark, once they throw away their meltas they have done their job, whatever they manage to do afterward is just extra.