What Legion should I pick for my CSM?

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**Bluebeard**

I've recently started collecting Chaos Space Marines. I was thinking of making them a "neuitral" Black Legion black / gold, and in time make smaller groups from the other legions.

Although, I must say that the Emperor's Children and Night Lord are badass, and the Word Bearers are probably my 2nd favourite legion.

I really don't know where to start. I was thinking I should pick a Chaos Undivided legion to form the "basis" of my army. Black Legion seems a safe bet as it's the most vanilla one and they fight shoulder to shoulder with the other legions during the black crusades.

Thoughts?

**kronk**

That's a nice way to do it. The Black Legion can call on other warbands as they need for a raid or even a crusade. If Black Legion is your base, you can still mix in some Thousand Sons with their own Rhino/Land Raider, Khorne Berzerkers, etc.

Perhaps even Huron could show up with a handful of Red
Corsairs.

Don't forget Cypher and his band of plucky Chosen!

**ShieldBrother**

Word Bearers are the coolest imo. Opens up ally possibility for daemons, and they're religious nutcases too show it really makes that zeal shown. They are also well represented by the Crimson Slaughter book.

**nurgle5**

Chaos warbands aren't usually that monolithic, there's no reason why you couldn't have your warband consist of any combination of legions. While the Black Legion have an established history of working with other legions and poaching their specialists, there is precedence for Chaos Lords usurping and absorbing other chaos warbands by defeating their leaders. You could have your warband led by a Black Legionnaire, a particularly ambitious Night Lord, or even a renegade Space Marine who has been strong enough to unite a warband from the other warbands that sprung from the fractured and infighting legions, perhaps accompanied by a Dark Apostle originally from the Word Bearers legion to spread the good word!

**SYKOJAK**

I have also suffered from the same problem before, in trying to choose a specific Warband. That is why I have choose to come up with my own. Then I can add in whatever units I like from all the other Legions, as I see for. In the end it's Chaos, so do what your whim tells you. I find it to be even more appealing when every unit in the army has their own color scheme. And you don't have to call it a Black Crusade if you don't want to.

**Chaos Legionnaire**

Thousand Sons.
Pure Thousand Sons.
You'll be glad you did.

**MechaEmperor7000**

I started with multiple warbands for each of the troops (Heavy Weapons and tanks went to the Iron Warriors, Nurgle went to Death Guard, etc)

Now I have something like 6 separate Chaos Space Marine Armies when they grew out of hand.

**Wayniac**

I am having this same dilemma and I'm trying to decide between Iron Warriors and Black Legion. So far I'm thinking of Iron Warriors because I like their color scheme (Black Legion can easily look very flat because it's black). My reasoning at first for BL was because of the variety of Black Legion, but I think the vanilla/bland like aspect can hurt.

I'd say go with Word Bearers, they have a cool color scheme, open up allying with daemons, and have just enough potential for conversion without being extremely garish. The only reason I disqualified them from my own idea was because I am sick to death of painting red (I play Khador in Warmachine) :p

**Camundongo**

Chaos Legionnaire wrote:
Thousand Sons.
Pure Thousand Sons.
You'll be glad you did.

Well, maybe not if you want to win games, but as a TS player I'd be damned if they don't have some of the coolest models and fluff around, and a fantastic paint scheme to boot.

Word Bearers and Night Lords are pretty awesome as well though. As are Iron Warriors. The only issue is that it's more difficult (but by no means impossible) to represent them on the tabletop, especially if you just use the codex.

**Chaos Legionnaire**

I win games with Thousand Sons all the time. Against experienced players playing good armies. I actually find that they perform better for me when I don't ally daemons. Just straight from the codex. Maybe a cabal, maybe not. I think their strength lies in the fact that I never run the same list twice (because change) and because players just generally don't build their armies with Thousand Sons in mind. I guess it also helps that I've been playing them since 3rd edition, so I'm rather familiar with their idiosyncrasies.
They are a fun army with great models, great fluff, and endless possibilities for awesome conversions, which is my main reason for playing them.

**MechaEmperor7000**

T-Sons are a wild card but the army is a wonderful joy to convert.

Namely using phoenixes as Heldrakes and, before their discontinuation, using the Warsphinxes for daemon engines or (if playing with proxy rules) using them as Dreadknights.

**Chaos Legionnaire**

Agreed.
Plus, we'll be getting some nice things quite soon.

**Draco**

I have an alliance. First is my own dark mechanicum warband (green and gold). Then I have Emperor's Children and one Fallen.