Chaos Terminator Tactics

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**MechaEmperor7000**

The new Chaos Space Marines Terminator Lords Cadre makes me wanna buy lots of chaos terminators, as they've always been something of a favourite of mine from the Chaos Range and I use to consider the terminator lord a bit too expensive before. However, this age isn't exactly a high point for terminators, moreso for Chaos ones since they're both overcosted than their loyalist counterparts and lack a lot of the formation special rules.

I intend on running them in a Purged detachment so it can be a pure Terminator army. I know this means that, in effect, they gain no special rules and the only difference from going unbound is that they count as Battleforged. But beggars can't be choosers. I know I won't be getting anywhere near competitive, but if I am handing a win over to the enemy, I wanna make him work for it >:3

Currently I'm thinking of going with Iron Warriors, which means I want to minimize close combat elements in favour of heavy weapons and siege elements (that and I have a bulk of Iron Warriors Obliterators and vindicators). For that, I was thinking MSU squads of Terminators armed with Multi-Meltas OR 5-man squads armed with Autocannons. I can buy the MoN and just brush it off as them having reinforced armor (or refurbished cataphractii armor). Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

**Slayer-Fan123**

The Autocannon sucks. If you're using The Purge anyway, just fill your Heavy slots with Autocannon Havocs. Terminators are much too inefficient with Heavy Weapons in the first place, and Chaos Terminators have it even worse.

You get 3-4 dudes, throw 3-4 Combi-Melta or Combi-Plasma, an optional Power Fist or Chainfist (neither are entirely necessary though), and hold them in reserve. Then drop them near targets you need dead.

**whitedragon**

Actually, depending on the type of army you want to run, you could just run multiples of that detachment to be battleforged and just have lots of units of Lords or Sorcerers leading terminators.

If I was doing it, I'd take unmarked Sorcerer Lords in Terminator armor with 3 man Terminator squads with Combi-Meltas or Plasmas, and I'd run go for psychic shriek on the sorcerers. Just keep deepstriking in and melta/plasma and shriek for glory!

Add in some Malefic for summoning if you fancy that too. Should be fun.

**Mozzamanx**

Have you considered running the list from a 30K Legion rather than the Chaos Marines? You'd need to tell your opponent but it's getting more and more commonplace.

- Actual Legion rules! No more pretending to be Iron Warriors, this time you'll actually get your hands dirty with shrapnel rounds, Warsmiths and robots.
- Actual Legion kit! Real Cataphractii-pattern armour, Plasma Blasters, Boarding Shields, Volkites, Thunder Hammers...
- It's Battleforged! I can't imagine an opponent who'd rather fight Unbound than a Legion list. You can have a legal FOC entirely composed of Terminators where everything is Scoring and everything is fluffy.

If you ran Iron Warriors, you'd even get a chance to pick up the dreaded Siege Tyrants; a unit where every single member is packing a Cyclone Missile Launcher.
You can also run Erasmus Golg to make Terminators into Troops, or you can use a HQ to run 'Pride of the Legion' which does the same, if you'd rather play without characters.
And of course, there is Perturabo himself.

**MechaEmperor7000**

As much as I would love to run Tyrant Siege Terminators, I love the actual plastic terminators a little too much. I could convert them up to be tyrant terminators (just glue a havoc launcher on the carapace) but I feel like that's cheating a bit too much. However I will consider it. On the other hand the MSU sorc spam is also an option, especially since the Chaos Lord's parts should be interchangable with normal terminators, which means i can probably get a few more sorcerors out of my boxes.

As for Autocannon Havocs; I know they're a far more points efficient way of fielding autocannons and way more effective, but that kinda runs contrary to the "terminators only" theme. I was intending on using oblits in that capacity instead.

**Abadabadoobaddon**

HH IW rules don't work for 40k-era IW. The 30k list lacks daemon engines and Tyrant Siege Terminators fell out of favor post-Heresy due to the cyclone missile launcher interfering with the Indomitus pattern armor's trophy racks.

**Jatti**

Personally I'm for some reason partial to Termicide. That is, Deep Strike some Termies with Combi-Meltas and either Power or Chain Fists, whatever you can afford, close to something you really want to explode.

**GoliothOnline**

The best tactic for CSM Terminators is to not take them because there are better choices for your elite slot. Take things like, NOTHING within the elite slot and then build an allied detachment of Renegades and have a good time.

But if you INSIST on taking something in the elite section, take a Decimator Siege Engine and just equip it with a Conversion Beamer. Park it in a ruin, make it nurgle, enjoy cover saves and IWND! for the rest of the game. At least then its going to make its points back... and you can also give it Perfect Timing from a Sorcerer for Ignores Cover.

**MechaEmperor7000**

I wonder if Termicide would work on a full army scale (think 1500 points) as if the majority of the army deploys that way, they will be coming in piecemeal. I guess I could have Oblits hold down the fort until turn 2.

Also, on the subject of Terminator Characters for CSM, is the Chaos Lord at all worth it or should I just go with multiple Terminator Sorcerors and spam mind bullets?

**ZergSmasher**

GoliothOnline wrote:
But if you INSIST on taking something in the elite section, take a Decimator Siege Engine and just equip it with a Conversion Beamer. Park it in a ruin, make it nurgle, enjoy cover saves and IWND! for the rest of the game. At least then its going to make its points back... and you can also give it Perfect Timing from a Sorcerer for Ignores Cover.

I don't think you can give it Perfect Timing or any other Divination power. I don't have my 'dex handy atm but I think CSM Sorcerers cannot take powers from Divination.

**CrownAxe**

Crimson Slaughter has had a relic that lets the sorcerer take divination

But its a moot point since Perfect Timing can only target the psyker and the unit he's joined to. So you still can't give a Decimator ignore cover

**koooaei**

Chaos termies are best used as disposable 3-man units with combi-plasmas/meltas. They're not amazing but playable if you don't overdo the theme. 1-2 squads is max i'd go for. As the more you get - the more you need to invest in reserves manipulation. Besides, csm as true horrors of warp have no real scatter reduction because of reasons. The only way is to take a key artifact that won't activate before turn 2 at best by which point your termies should be on board allready. Besides, it requires a regular codex and not crymson slaughter, so your termies won't get fear/protection from fear.

The other way is to play them as oblis and mutilators and spam solo models together with daemon allies with icons to minimise scatter.

**Slayer-Fan123**

Mutilators is a bad idea. SaP on a melee unit with no range options? gak idea. Pass on them. All those battle reports showed was how bad they were even in a casual setting.

Obliterators have Power Fists the entire time, which makes them more of an interesting compliment. That said, they're 70 a pop. Minimum. With two Obliterators I can almost get a 4 man Termicide group.
The Purge FOC makes that less an issue but it should be noted.

**Clang**

Obliterators are certainly worth a look:
- they fit the termy theme (well, I've always considered them as extreme termies) - you can even convert them from plain termies if you want to
- their shootyness complements the termies' lack of long range shootyness

Expensive though...

**TasadarTheMadBear**

Another option to go with the Terminator theme, although I am not sure how efficient it will be, is throwing a full squad of CC terminators in a Spartan Assault Tank. Even a 10-man squad with no upgrades at all can pack a punch and the Spartan has a great chance of getting them where they need to go. Again, this probably isn't super competitive, but Chaos Terminators in general aren't either so...

**koooaei**

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:
Mutilators is a bad idea. SaP on a melee unit with no range options? gak idea. Pass on them. All those battle reports showed was how bad they were even in a casual setting.

Obliterators have Power Fists the entire time, which makes them more of an interesting compliment. That said, they're 70 a pop. Minimum. With two Obliterators I can almost get a 4 man Termicide group.
The Purge FOC makes that less an issue but it should be noted.

They showed that muties are about as useful as oblis.

**MechaEmperor7000**

I already have 9 Oblits in terms of models and have no problem paying.

As for everyone telling me "they're good in moderation", do note that the entire theme for this is "Terminator Army", which by definition means they're going to be a lot of terminators in this.

Also, Kooaei, cut it out. We all know about your love for mutilators but neither me nor Slayer cares, and we've repeatedly made this clear. Do not derail another thread into that argument.

**Slayer-Fan123**

koooaei wrote:
Slayer-Fan123 wrote:
Mutilators is a bad idea. SaP on a melee unit with no range options? gak idea. Pass on them. All those battle reports showed was how bad they were even in a casual setting.

Obliterators have Power Fists the entire time, which makes them more of an interesting compliment. That said, they're 70 a pop. Minimum. With two Obliterators I can almost get a 4 man Termicide group.
The Purge FOC makes that less an issue but it should be noted.

They showed that muties are about as useful as oblis.

They showed that Mutilators aren't impressive even in a casual setting. Quit throwing positive thoughts out about Mutilators. Accept they're garbage so that we can actually talk ways to win with this damn codex.

I'll create a sample list later using The Purge FOC when I get home.

**Roknar**

I'm all for fun lists, but I'm not sure how viable this is even in a fun setting. You'll only be able to squeeze in some 40 termies at 1500 points, but you're not going to do that. The theme is siege, so you'll want some oblits and tanks in the mix too.

Plus, termies aren't exactly ranged powerhouses. Melta Termicide is about all you can hope for. Heavy flamers maybe if you intent to charge out of a landraider or so. There's a pretty large discrepancy between fluff and gameplay with these guys.

Might be worthwile taking that new Black Legion formation with a sorc and yuranthos. Not sure where you'd get the warp charges for fully charging it though. The fully charged Aoe would probably help with your ranged game if you can drop it in the middle of their army. More so if you manage to get the pyromancy that let's you reroll to wound.
Termie sorcerers in general are probably a good idea. With that kind of army they're probably the cheapest way to get some fire power.

**Slayer-Fan123**

The formation requires paying for VotLW though.

**Roknar**

Yes, but only that one thankfully. The rest of the army wouldn't have to pay for it. And yuranthos makes it worth while for this specific army type. There aren't a whole lot of options after all. Outside of the heavy support slot, all he has are terminators. Nothing else really fits the terminator army/siege theme. Other than mutilators but not even I am that crazy lol.

**MechaEmperor7000**

Kinda sad we lost the "1 autocannon per 3 terminators" thing two editions ago. I loved walking down the line firing reapers.

I'm seriously giving thought about using a proxy Iron Warrior's 30k list now, cuz those Tyrant Siege Terminators are just too good to pass up.

**Slayer-Fan123**

Tyrant Siege Terminators are pretty ridiculous looking. They're balanced for 30k though.

**GoliothOnline**

CrownAxe wrote:
Crimson Slaughter has had a relic that lets the sorcerer take divination

But its a moot point since Perfect Timing can only target the psyker and the unit he's joined to. So you still can't give a Decimator ignore cover

This is true but you can attach him to an artillery unit of Chaos Rapiers with Cyclotrath Conversion Beamers which can come in a unit of 3 Artillery accompanied by 6 Marines. Each weapon can get up to str 10 ap 1 large blast at just 48" away which is devastating. Add in Ignores Cover and you plaster things.

**whitedragon**

I would think that since you want to stay Iron Warriors, running 9x Obliterators behind an Aegis line with a Comms Relay starting on the board, and then let all your terminators and lords/sorcerers re-roll to arrive from Deep Strike would be decent enough that you should have some fun games.

**SHUPPET**

I generally rock out 3x 3 man squads, with Combi Plasma and a Lightning Claw (1 claw is super cheap and seems to get the best returns for the price). Melta's are also an option, but I prefer Plasma when you can get away it (by including things to support this decision within the rest of your army). Chainfists on the other hand... unlikely to be worthwhile in the most part.

Nurgle Term's are nice, but don't look over Tzeentch Terms, because at the end of the day that point of toughness isn't doing a thing against hostile plasma, or anything S7 or higher... I like my 4++ much better than a point of toughness, personally.

I also use a Comms relay, between 3 squads of Terms and 2 Heldrakes it's pretty worth it to me. Id really like to take a Quad Gun instead but ah well.

Also, I know to some this is blasphemy, but I really don't think Oblits are worth it... like, ever. 3 guns for 230 pts is a LOT, and they will always be so much less cost efficient than just having the right unit, Oblits just seem to be a a way to take the balancing out of list building but come at a very hefty cost to do so... I'd rather just versatile guns like Plasma and Autocannon's instead to be honest, where you aren't being charged out the ass for it, and there is plenty of viable platforms for them. Just something to keep in mind.

EDIT: and Mutilators are even worse, not that it should need to be said.

**Sgt. Cortez**

SHUPPET wrote:
I

Also, I know to some this is blasphemy, but I really don't think Oblits are worth it... like, ever. 3 guns for 230 pts is a LOT, and they will always be so much less cost efficient than just having the right unit, Oblits just seem to be a a way to take the balancing out of list building but come at a very hefty cost to do so... I'd rather just versatile guns like Plasma and Autocannon's instead to be honest, where you aren't being charged out the ass for it, and there is plenty of viable platforms for them. Just something to keep in mind.

So far Oblits worked fine for me, especially combined with a sorcerer in Termi-Armour to buff them further. Balestar of mannon gives you divination and makes them fearless. However, I found lone Oblits less effective, they are an annoyance for the enemy, but he can easily ignore them or easily kill them for points if he has to. 3 Oblits with sorcerer though are something totally different, they get the job done.