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Hello folks.

Awhile ago, I wrote up an earlier prototype list for Chaos, based on the idea of doing a semi-mechanized Chaos Rhino Rush. Now that the Black Crusade army has come out, I feel it's time to revisit such a possibility.

==Black Crusade Detachment==
=Chaos Warband=
Note: Everything in this detachment has Veterans of the Long War for free (thanks to detachment bonuses), and Obsec (thanks to formation bonuses).
Chaos Lord w/ Mark of Khorne, Juggernaut, Axe of Blind Fury, Sigil of Corruption - 170
5 Marines. Champion has Combimelta, 1 Marine has a Meltagun, rest have Bolter/Bolt Pistol/CCW - 101
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Marines. Champion has Combimelta, 1 Marine has a Meltagun, rest have Bolter/Bolt Pistol/CCW - 101
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Marines. Champion has Combimelta, 1 Marine has a Meltagun, rest have Bolter/Bolt Pistol/CCW - 101
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Marines. Champion has Combimelta, 1 Marine has a Meltagun, rest have Bolter/Bolt Pistol/CCW - 101
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Chosen, 2 Flamers, 2 Plasma Guns (Note: The Chosen Champion carries one of the Plasma Guns): 130
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade, Havoc Launcher - 52
5 Havocs, 2 Flamers, 2 Plasmaguns - 115
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade, Havoc Launcher - 52
3 Bikers w/ 2 Meltaguns, Champion has Power Axe - 105
5 Havocs, 4 Autocannons - 115
5 Havocs, 4 Autocannons - 115

=Spawn Auxiliary=
2 Spawn: 60 points

==Daemonkin Gorepack==
3 Bikers w/ Mark of Khorne, the two "regular" Bikers replace their TL Bolters w/ Plasma Guns - 106
3 Bikers w/ Mark of Khorne, the two "regular" Bikers replace their TL Bolters w/ Plasma Guns - 106
5 Flesh Hounds - 80
5 Flesh Hounds - 80

Total Points: 1850

The Lord joins the Spawn, while everything else is semi-mechanized. The army is divided into two main "cohorts" of:

2 Melta-team Rhinos
1 Special-team Rhino
1 unit of Hounds and Gorepack Bikers for Screening

Leaving the Lord/Spawn and Black Crusade Bikers as "Troubleshooters" of a sort.

The Plasma Bikers are an experiment of a sort, based on taking advantage of Preferred Enemy (Psykers). That said, I'm not 100% sure: If a unit has Preferred Enemy: Psyker, would it work against a unit that has at least one attached Psyker, even if the unit isn't 100% Psykers? If not, I still can see it being a useful "edgecase" weapon against some "trouble" units like Warlock Conclaves/Dreadknights. At any rate, they'll still keep their Bolters/CCWs so they can have weight of attacks on the charge. If the Gorepack Biker Champions can punk the odd Squad Sergeant or two in a challenge for a few Blood Tithe Points, all the better.

The rest is "tweaking". What to "minimize/maximize", and seeing what can and won't necessarily work. For example, I may dump the Havoc Launchers and add a Dirge Caster or two to the mix, or I may switch out the Chaos Warband Bikers to simply running a Raptor Unit ("Hide behind Rhinos/jump in front).

The other thing I am contemplating is: I can replace the Khorne Lord with:
Chaos Lord, Mark of Nurgle, Bike, Sigil of Corruption, Power Axe, Burning Brand of Skalathrax: 170
Drop the Havoc Launchers, and the "Extra CCW" upgrades (or more accurately, swap out the Bolters) from the rank-and-file Chaos Marines for an extra 48 points, and I now have 30 points for an extra Spawn, as well as the means to give them Mark of Nurgle.

Let me know your thoughts.

That's a cool list, I like it

I'd give the plasma guns from the chosen squad to one of the CSM squads, then have the meltas on the chosen unit instead. That way they can shoot all of their weapons and charge if the situation arises. It seems a shame to shoot their plasma guns and flamers then do nothing else given they have lots of attacks and could probably finish off the target by the time their next turn comes around

I'd also give the havoc launcher to the CSM squad with plasma guns.

With the gorepack bikers I'd be reluctant to field them as they are because the opponent can immediately target your plasma gunners and take significant points off the table. Given their mark of Khorne I'd (for the same points) run them as two units of four and give the unit leaders power weapons, probably axes if you want to keep the AP2 damage. It might not be strength 7 but with those units you could lose all three regular bikers and still have a guy charging in with 5 S5 AP2 attacks on the charge and another 3 in the opponent's turn. As soon as the MSU plasma gunner bikes start losing bodies their damage output is taking a hit

I like it overall. I'd swap the special guns in the Chosen squad to all match. So either 4 plasma or 4 flamers.

I'm also not sold on Plasmaguns for the bikes, I hate losing guys to "gets hot". You can downgrade them all to Meltaguns and then that should give you the points to make the Chosen have all Plasma I think.

I would definitely agree that it's better to have your special weapons match. I'd give the Chosen all flamers, they are better in CC and can ge shot and assault, like Snake and Unclean are saying. I'd also switch the Havocs to either all plasmas or something else, like middle launchers. The havoc launchers are going to make those two rhinos priority targets anyways.

For that reason, I'd also switch all of the combi bolters to the rhinos instead of the champions. They get to keep their combi bolters, I believe, unlike the chaos, so that's more shots anyways, and it makes your opponent have to choose which rhinos they want to kill first. Also, your combis stay super mobile after the marines hop out.

Just some thoughts, it's a good list.

I did some additional tweaks, for a list that doesn't use the Gorepack, but uses a Sorcerer and an allied detachment.

==Black Crusade Detachment==
=Chaos Warband=
Note: Everything in this detachment has Veterans of the Long War for free (thanks to detachment bonuses), and Obsec (thanks to formation bonuses).
Chaos Lord w/ Mark of Nurgle, Bike, Power Axe, Sigil of Corruption, Boon of Mutation - 150
Chaos Sorcerer w/ Bike, Force Staff, ML 2, Spell Familiar, Boon o fMutation - 130
5 Marines. Champion has Combimelta, 1 Marine has a Meltagun, rest have Bolt Pistol/CCW - 95
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Marines. Champion has Combimelta, 1 Marine has a Meltagun, rest have Bolt Pistol/CCW - 95
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Marines. Champion has Combimelta, 1 Marine has a Meltagun, rest have Bolt Pistol/CCW - 95
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Marines. Champion has Combimelta, 1 Marine has a Meltagun, rest have Bolt Pistol/CCW - 95
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Chosen, 2 Plasma Guns (Note: The Chosen Champion carries one of the Plasma Guns): 120
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
5 Havocs, 2 Plasmaguns - 105
-Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40
3 Bikers w/ 2 Bike-mounted Meltaguns - 90
3 Bikers w/ 2 Bike-mounted Meltaguns - 90
5 Havocs, 4 Autocannons - 115
5 Havocs, 4 Autocannons - 115

=Spawn Auxiliary=
2 Spawn w/ Mark of Nurgle: 72 points
2 Spawn w/ Mark of Nurgle: 72 points

==Allied Daemon Detachment==
=HQ=
Blue Scribes - 81

=Troops=
Pink Horrors - 90

Total Points: 1850

The Lord joins one Spawn unit, while the Sorcerer joins the other unit. They serve as "Keep aways" against small anti-tank teams (versus big deathstars on the other hand...it will take some effort). Dealing with stuff like the Barkbarkstar will be admittedly tricky.

Horrors roll on Malefic, getting both the Psychic Focus & Chaos Psychic Focus (thanks Draft FAQ), Blue Scribes rolls on Malefic table while using Turbo-boosts to hide behind the Rhino Wall, and the Sorcerer rolls on whatever discipline is most effective for the mission. (Aka "usually Telepathy").