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With the recent faq, Chosen can now take their usual combi/special weapons, and ADDITIONALLY take a melee weapon, not replace with. Meaninh a plasma gun/Force Axe marine is possible. Does this new change put the Chosen into a good spot finally? To me, the applications of putting out as much firepower as a terminator squad for half the cost makes them a great new option.

They're in a better spot, but I don't know about good. Yes, they can do the same damage as a Terminator squad. They could also be compared to Possessed when equipped with axes. But in either case your trading wounds and better saves for it. Yeah, if you can get them into combat it might be useful... but you have to get them into combat. Otherwise, the points spent on axes and extra attacks were wasted and you should have taken Havocs instead. So unless you run Alpha Legion, that's means Rhinos or Dreadclaws.

But I've yet to try it. I've discussed this topic with many, and that's the general conclusion we've reached. They're better, and could be fun, but maybe not quite "good" yet.

I don't like paying points for power weapons and special weapons on the same model. The plan should either be to get in to melee asap, or to keep distance and shoot. Not both.

I really struggle to picture ever taking say 10 chosen with power axes and plasma guns as opposed to a squad or 5 with axes and a separate squad of 5 with plasma guns. That just seems way more points efficient.

EDIT
In that instance I'd actually be better off putting the plasma guns on a Havoc squad, so I'm not paying points for melee attacks I don't plan to use.

My first question when my friend pointed that out was:

Can they finally bring chainswords with their plasma guns?!

He answered: no.

I went back to disappointed.

Still inferior to havocs for shooting.
Still inferior to berzerkers for melee.

I guess if you are coupling them with slaanesh psychic powers for FNP or something they could be useful, but not necessarily efficient or optimal.

Purifying Tempest wrote:
My first question when my friend pointed that out was:

Can they finally bring chainswords with their plasma guns?!

He answered: no.

I went back to disappointed.

Uuuh, yeah you can. It doens't say "power weapon", it says MELEE WEAPON. That includes Chainswords, ChainAXES, anything in that list is legit. So basically, every ranged chosen can just take a chainsword for free.

I think if there was a role for elite units with both melee and shooting, they'd probably be good for it. But there simply isn't, because they die too easily.

They are really competitive in 1000 pt games where there are limited amounts of big guns. But necrons are the crowned champions of 1000 pt games.

I would treat them like I would Command Squads. Get the Combi-Bolter and keep the Chainsword for a cheap amount of shots and attacks.

 vaklor4 wrote:

Purifying Tempest wrote:
My first question when my friend pointed that out was:

Can they finally bring chainswords with their plasma guns?!

He answered: no.

I went back to disappointed.

Uuuh, yeah you can. It doens't say "power weapon", it says MELEE WEAPON. That includes Chainswords, ChainAXES, anything in that list is legit. So basically, every ranged chosen can just take a chainsword for free.

I think this in general helps marine models... you know... tactical... can shoot and fight?

Glad to see at least one model in the range figure out how to do more than get shot

Purifying Tempest wrote:

 vaklor4 wrote:

Purifying Tempest wrote:
My first question when my friend pointed that out was:

Can they finally bring chainswords with their plasma guns?!

He answered: no.

I went back to disappointed.

Uuuh, yeah you can. It doens't say "power weapon", it says MELEE WEAPON. That includes Chainswords, ChainAXES, anything in that list is legit. So basically, every ranged chosen can just take a chainsword for free.

I think this in general helps marine models... you know... tactical... can shoot and fight?

Glad to see at least one model in the range figure out how to do more than get shot

Chosen are just so much better designed than the regular Chaos Marine I'd rather they just eliminate the entry and male Chosen the basic troop choice for the CSM army. They're all Vets outside the Renegades afterall, and Renegades ought to be represented with the Loyalist codex and you just replace certain keywords.