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Hey all, I'm looking for some feedback on the first CSM list I'm making for an escalation campaign I just joined... here's what I've got:

Point Limit: 500

HQ:
Chaos Lord
Mark of Khorne, Gift of Mutation

Troops:
Chaos Space Marines (8x Marines + Champion)
Champion: Plasma Pistol + CCW

Chaos Cultists (19x Cultists + Champion)
Cultists: 5x Autogun, 2x Flamer, Mark of Khorne

Heavy Support;
Havocs, 4x Mark of Nurgle, 4x Autocannons

The strategy is to have the havocs sit back and shoot, then the lord run with the mob of cultists to get the charge. CSMs in front to shoot and protect the cultists so they can get close. Thoughts? Advice? I'm still a newbie so any constructive criticism helps.

While I have not caught up with 7th edtion yet, here is what I can tell you

Id drop the gift of mutation on the lord, and try and throw a power weapon (maybe a power axe?) and possibly an invun save if you can find the points.

Drop the plasma pistol on the Champ. Plasma pistols look cool and thats about it really.

I assume you purchased MOK on the Cultists for melee purposes? In which case drop the autoguns.

Heavy Support is fine, although you might not need the MoN on those guys. But hey.

So TLDR
- Plasma Pistol, Gift of Mutation, Autoguns
+Power Weapon, possibly a few special weapons for the CSM squad. Meltas might be nice.

Good luck!

Thanks.

So, I took off PP, GoM and Autoguns to add a power sword and Aura of Dark Glory to the Lord.

Good?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I could also take off Aura of Dark glory and MoN from the havocs to afford a Melta in the CSM squad. Hmm...

It's purely your call. I can't quite recall how much the MoN is on Havocs points wise, but you could drop it and buy a special weapon for the CSM squad. Maybe drop 1 of the Flamers on the cultists to help free up points?

Also, is this list using all the minis you have or do you have some other minis at your disposale?

yeah on you CSM squad swap the plasma pistol for a power weapon, they cost the same but I think you'll get more out of the power weapon (the other nice thing is that all power weapons are the same cost and so you get to pick whether it's a sword, axe or maul based on your preferences and who you may be fighting)

On your cultists take out the autoguns and the mark, possibly even the flamers too. Reason being is to save some points because I highly recommend taking some terminator armour for your HQ, gives him great protection, an invuln save and gives him a power weapon. A much better load out for those challenges he's forced to give/accept. Oh and take off the GoM, it's not that useful sadly (can be ok sometimes but I find most of the time you get a pretty useless bonus).

Depending on points from there you really can't go wrong with some melta guns for your marines. Actually if you can maybe drop the minimum number of marines required so you can fit in a rhino with maybe a havoc launcher, they are great for protecting you marines and moving them on the battlefield to those very important objectives.

The havocs are good but at 500 points the mark of nurgle may not be necessary, but it's always helpful.

Hope this has helped out.

It's probably better to make your cultist blob bigger before purchasing any marks for it... 20 cultists with MoK is potentially 10 more cultists...