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Hi, returning player here (3rd edition) and I picked up a pack of Chaos Space marines and before I glue them together I had a question about them -also sorry if this question has already been answered a thousand times...But anyways, the codex says Chaos Space Marines come with a boltgun and boltpistol but say you can add a close combat weapon for 2pts/model or replace the boltgun with CC weapon for free...so if you add the CC weapon for 2pts/model do you still get to use the regular boltgun at long range AND get to use the +1 to attack in assault by having bolt pistol +CC weapon? Also if I were to do this would I have to have to glue the chainsword arm + bolt pistol arm to the model, and then glue the boltgun on the belt/leg to represent that the model is carrying 3 weapons? I think if I end up going Khorne I probably will just stick with the BP+CC and not worry about the boltgun, but I haven't decided which Chaos god to worship yet.

It honestly depends on how WYSIWYG you want to get with the models.

My personal suggestion. Is that if you want them all modeled completely accurate, that you find yourself a Space Marine player locally and trade for some of the thousands of spare combat knife bits we get. But if you really want the chainsword yes your way works.

There's no rule requiring you to model every weapon and/or upgrade on your models, though it is a good idea to do so if possible, or at least their main weapons/upgrades.

If they are equipped with bolt pistol and chainsword they will get an additional attack in close combat, yes, even if they are also equipped with a boltgun. For shooting purposes they will have the benefit of choosing whether they wish to shoot their boltgun or bolt pistol.

Ive had some luck just cut the hand off the chainsword and replace the hilt with another suitable piece. If you have an axe or staff it can be cut into a bunch of sword handle pieces. I usual do this so I can put a chainsword on the front of the chaos bikes cause it looks like they can just reach forward and grab it.

Rule-wise: yes. You would get the +1 attack in close combat. Just remember that you can't rapid fire the bolt gun and charge in the same turn, so the idea with the bolt pistol (even without the chainsword) is to fire it before you charge.

As for modelling, if you don't want your models to look weird with three weapons, then find the gun holster bit and use that. However only the most anal of opponents would chastise you for not having all of those weapons modeled, especially since CSMs seem to change weapon loadout with every single update.

Modelling wise I think the best way is to mix it up a bit.

Have some with their pistols/ccw out and bolters maglocked to hip.

Others can 'pistol grip' their boltgun, chainsword in off hand and bolt pistol in holster.

Some can have a boltgun with depleted ammunition in their right hand and shooting off their sidearm with their left, combat knife on hip.

Most might hold their bolt gun normally with knife and bolt pistol on the waist.

Perhaps some boltguns could have underslung knife (or even chainsword!) bayonets.

Edit: for the record most consider plague marines to be the best CSM troop choice. These tend to hold a Boltgun in their right hand, a knife in left and by the rules should have a bolt pistol also secreted upon their person (though it seems implied, and used to be the rules, that they could just use boltguns as pistols).

Edit 2:
Here is a nurgle marine which I converted to hold a knife in the left hand, boltgun in right and wears a holstered bolt pistol.

glue 3rd arm holding bolt pistol from the chest...

I model mine as holding the bolter and the chainsword, with a plot pistol modelled on the waist. I figure this is the easiest way of being WYSIWYG as its obvious the model is armed with a bolter and CCW. I simply clip the bolt pistols off their arms and replace with bolters. I certainly wouldn't complain about seeing bayonets on boltguns, or bolters hanging from the waist.

I had a similar problem with my space wolves. I ended up giving what guys i could chain swords and one handed bolters and put free bolt pistols and holsters on there hip.

Well, I normally just glue the Chaos marines with their bolguns at the ready and glue a holstered bolt pistol and combat knife at the hip.

But it shouldn't really matter, if someone is complaining about that then you shouldn't play them. That's just absurd. As long as you have the upgrades written down and your opponent knows it before starting the game, then there shouldn't be an issue. Luckily for me, I've never had someone chastise me about the appearance of my models based off of upgrades.

Thanks for all the answers guys! I have another question: If you change out the weapon loadout on one CSM, do you have to change it for all the other models in the unit? Could you have 5 marines with boltguns, and 5 marines with boltgun and BP+CC, or does the entire unit have to do one or the other?

 Aphex Wulf wrote:
Thanks for all the answers guys! I have another question: If you change out the weapon loadout on one CSM, do you have to change it for all the other models in the unit? Could you have 5 marines with boltguns, and 5 marines with boltgun and BP+CC, or does the entire unit have to do one or the other?

The wording in the unit entry will tell you. Some upgrades are for the entire unit and some are for individual models and you can have both types in a single unit.

Depending on the upgrade in question - in regards to your specific question, you can mix the armaments in the squad. You could have a squad of ten CSMs, three with BP/CCW, three with Bolter, BP/CCW and three with just Bolter and BP if you so desired (the champion comes with all three by default, so doesn't need to be upgraded).