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I'm a newcomer to the game & I'm not too sure where I'm going as I am still getting to grips with the rulebook & codex.

That said, I've managed to cobble together a few models, with more on the way thanks to generous friends. So, is what I have below (mostly from the DV boxset, friend's surplus & eBay) a viable starter army? If not, why? And how am I likely to fair in small-scale, social games?

1. Chaos Lord

2. 6x Chosen riding in...

3. Chaos Rhino

4. 3x Hellbrutes

5. 2x squads of 35 cultists

6. Helldrake

I know there are probably glaring holes in this list, but as I said I'm a beginner & it's just what I've managed to cobble together so far. Any help welcome!


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Please excuse typos...I've been up late base coating my cultists!

I mean.. chosen are nice but don't serve a huge purpose sitting in a Rhino. They die just as fast as any marine.

You could run one of the fun hell brute formations for sure!

If you pick up typhus you could have a good core of zombie cultists!

I'm not sure this list is legal. Chosen and helbrutes are both elites and that would give you 4 elite choices, unless this is a Black Legion detachment.
Other than that though, it literally doesn't matter what you bring in your first games. As you get more comfortable with the game and your own units, you'll figure the rest out from there.

Chosen with meltaguns can prove to be very lethal. Them rocking in the rhino can be effective, but if I'm not mistaken, they can infiltrate. Also, might want to take some regular chaos space marines because I don't think cultists are a troop choice.

Chosen are a bit costly in points for what they offer, you'd be better off taking two squads of csm (min size) in two rhinos and dropping a couple cultists. You'll want to upgrade your Lord in some way, perhaps with Mark of Khorne on a juggernaut with a relic specialist weapon and a lightning claw, giving him a squad of spawn to run with for cover from fire.

Run your Helbrutes in a Mayhem Pack from the Helbrute dataslate, it's a great formation that gives them deep strike and takes advantage of their crazed table. That will also get around the 4 elites problem if you choose to keep the chosen anyways.

Alternatively, you could bring the Helbrute/cultist formation twice, but I don't have experience with that one. Otherwise, 70 cultists is just too much spent on a mediocre unit whose main advantage is being cheap and ignored, generally.

Primarily, though, you should be trying out all of these options and having fun! Welcome to Chaos!

SaltySeaDog wrote:
I'm a newcomer to the game & I'm not too sure where I'm going as I am still getting to grips with the rulebook & codex.

That said, I've managed to cobble together a few models, with more on the way thanks to generous friends. So, is what I have below (mostly from the DV boxset, friend's surplus & eBay) a viable starter army? If not, why? And how am I likely to fair in small-scale, social games?

1. Chaos Lord

2. 6x Chosen riding in...

3. Chaos Rhino

4. 3x Hellbrutes

5. 2x squads of 35 cultists

6. Helldrake

I know there are probably glaring holes in this list, but as I said I'm a beginner & it's just what I've managed to cobble together so far. Any help welcome!


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Please excuse typos...I've been up late base coating my cultists!

Easy fix!

CAD:

HQ: Chaos Lord

Elites:
Chosen, Rhino

Troops:
15 Cultists
15 Cultists
10 Cultists

Fast Attack:
Heldrake

Formation Detachment:
Mayhem Pack: 3x Helbrute

It's a playable army. Technically in 7th anything is playable as unbound is technically a thing although no one really plays it.

But is it really viable if you don't want to loose always? Eh depends how competitive your meta is. As long as people don't bring strong lists you should be ok.

Is there a theme at all you're going for?

If you give your Chaos Lord the Mark of Khorne and attach him to a unit of Cultists you have 35 Fearless cultists with Counter Charge.

They are better than most people give them credit for.

Your Chosen are your least effective unit for their cost. Shame since they are great models.

Heldrake is great with the Baleflamer. Probably the best unit in the Codex.