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Okay. Xmas is on the way, so I've got a chance to take a pot-shot of a chance at getting some 40k from my parents, and I don't want to waste it on making a mistake in my decision...

I've narrowed down my options to the following additions to my CSM force:

A Chaos Spartan Assault Tank
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Space_Marines/Space-Marine-Tanks/SPARTAN_ASSAULT_TANK.html

Or Getting some CD allies, consisting of 1 herald (don't know which yet), 1 unit of lesser daemons (don't know which yet) and a soulgrinder.

The situation with my army is that I keep facing a predator cavalry (they molested my army), backed up with razorbacks and Tau firewarriors/broadsides. And sometimes Eldar.

I keep getting owned, partly due to my tactical inexpertise, partly because I can't get most of my units to last past turn 4.

I've figured out, based on my opponents that what I need is either a fast, reliable, wrecking ball to come crashing down one flank, or I need a Soulgrinder of Nurgle to absorb and give fire, backed up with a deepstriking menace in the form of daemons.
My opponents tend to use either a static gunline, or a mobile one. The first I can't out shoot, the second I can't not die to.

Assuming my opponents all accept the use of the Spartan, which would you go for?

Have three Helldrakes yet? No? Get those instead, then laugh while they say your spamming blah blah blah.

 g0atsticks wrote:
Have three Helldrakes yet? No? Get those instead, then laugh while they say your spamming blah blah blah.

New rule: Don't tell me to get heldrakes.

I'm sorry, I just don't find them appealing.

I would look at the fire raptor as well, same price to buy as the spartan but since your chaos you can have a very good weapons loadout on a good flyer, other than the helldrake.

tiber55 wrote:
I would look at the fire raptor as well, same price to buy as the spartan but since your chaos you can have a very good weapons loadout on a good flyer, other than the helldrake.

Where would I find the rules for this vehicle?

Same place as the spartan.

How do your local gamers feel about forgeworld?

As well getting a spartan or a raptor will eventually cause you to buy another book once it gets re updated so there is a hidden cost.

 Desubot wrote:
Same place as the spartan.

How do your local gamers feel about forgeworld?

As well getting a spartan or a raptor will eventually cause you to buy another book once it gets re updated so there is a hidden cost.

Well, I'm looking in IA: Apocalypse, and I can't seem to find it :/

Oh i though the spartan had those experimental rules still lol.

Sorry its in the download section of forgeworld website.

You have two Heldrakes right? Just not three?

I love the Fire Raptor personally. I think that and 2 Heldrakes would be great!

Sounds like you are playing an elite force against guys setup to kill... elite forces.

I would actually recommend chaos spawn instead. Or bikes/raptors. These are fast, tough units that can bring the hammer down on your enemy. Helldrakes, while decent, are only really good against decent or worse players. In tournaments, they end up being pretty much useless unless your opponent has lots of MC.

Take a look at the heavy support options you have also. Maulerfiends are fast, deadly and pack a punch. I know a guy that runs 3 maulerfiends, and it's kinda tough to stop most of the time.

If you choose to use spawn however, you might want a look around at the 3rd party models instead of actual spawn, unless you really want all those bits inside the box.

 Desubot wrote:
Oh i though the spartan had those experimental rules still lol.

Sorry its in the download section of forgeworld website.

Ty

Well. It's interesting...
On the one hand, it's going to be a pain in the ass for my opponent to gain air dominance against me unless he dumps points into that (thus invalidating his current tactics), but on the other hand, it doesn't seem particularly effective for what I need it to do. Sure, it can take out Rhinos/Razorbacks and Tau/Eldar infantry, but the bulk of the problem is three predators and MEQ troops, which it doesn't look like it'll handle well.

[And then I remember that my opponents have started taking Tau broadsides for AA :L ]

If I go with the Raptor, I'll be murdering with impunity against certain builds, and it's cheaper than the Spartan, but it takes up a HS slot.
If I take the Spartan, I have to shove a gak load of points into one wrecking ball, but it's there on turn 1 or 2, is capable of making a predator die in one turn (with a bit of luck, or just serious damage).
Additionally, the Spartan can be backed up with expendable meatshields (zombies) whenever I need it to stay in place, and it can protect Typhus right up until he is in melee..

Fire Raptors seems pretty sweet for CSM armies. Two Reaper Autocannon Batteries + Avender Bolt Cannon = 8 str7 ap4 shots, 7 str 6 ap3 = lots of dead things

 juraigamer wrote:
Sounds like you are playing an elite force against guys setup to kill... elite forces.

I would actually recommend chaos spawn instead. Or bikes/raptors. These are fast, tough units that can bring the hammer down on your enemy. Helldrakes, while decent, are only really good against decent or worse players. In tournaments, they end up being pretty much useless unless your opponent has lots of MC.

Take a look at the heavy support options you have also. Maulerfiends are fast, deadly and pack a punch. I know a guy that runs 3 maulerfiends, and it's kinda tough to stop most of the time.

If you choose to use spawn however, you might want a look around at the 3rd party models instead of actual spawn, unless you really want all those bits inside the box.

Actually, the base of my force is a zombie list :3

I do have one Heldrake, and it has managed to cause him some serious problems when it deigns to arrive... (It likes to be late :/)

So far I've only encountered one MC, the Avatar, in an opponent's army recently.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I've just thought...

I could fill the spartan with Typhus and 23 zombies, drive up to an objective, disembark the zombies and Typhus.
The objective will be claimed, and if I'm right, there will be a cover save for the Spartan.

Though I'm not sure if I'll be able to fire over a unit of zombies...

If your going zombie themed, then I've got just the thing for you:

http://maxmini.eu/miniatures/plaguebringer-miniature


I use 5 of these in my CSM nurgle based force. They fit nicely.

As for the zombies in the Sraider... I wouldn't. Zombies in the enemy home base have a lot of little firepower to deal with, which kills them.