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Since Vigilus Ablaze was released, I've been experimenting with different CSM builds. Have started noticing a few things that I believe represent a fundamental change in how lists are conceived and constructed, and that this change affects the kinds of outcomes CSM players can expect to achieve in games. Consider this a prediction for how the meta for CSMs will shift in the coming months.

Writing to share thoughts, feedback would be appreciated. While these ideas apply primarily to building lists with the new formations in Vigilus Ablaze, there may be some pointers for Codex-only players to consider.

To provide some context, I've been playing a Black Legion gunline most of 8th edition. While I did well with this list and frequently won, it's one-dimensional - massed lascannons and tough beatsticks to clobber anything that tries to charge the gunners. My biggest challenges have been Dark Eldar, Tau and Imperial Knights armies, anything that can outshoot me at 48 inches or that can make me waste a lot of shots has an advantage.

So I've sought a better balanced list that doesn't sacrifice the consistency the gunline has against mid-range armies. A few things about Vigilus Ablaze contribute to this goal:

- Each of the new detachments characteristically emphasizes a certain playstyle - Daemon Engines, Daemons, Raptors, Cultists, Terminators, etc.

- At the same time, none of the new detachments is OP in itself. Each one provides a small buff that makes a few units more playable.

- There's a decent build available for each of the new detachments in the 500 to 800 point range. Each one can be made a little more beefy by spending more points.

- To compliment these new detachments, we got some "crazy" rules for Renegades. The Legion Traits and Stratagems for Renegades especially emphasize play with CSMs as troops.

- Along with these new detachments, our HQs became much tougher through the addition of prayers for Dark Apostles, the new rules for Black Legion, and the new characters (especially the Lord Dischordant.) More to say about this later.

This suggests something about what an "optimized" CSM list looks like going forward. It's a combination of detachments where each presents a different threat to opponents that, combined, overwhelms their ability to contend with the various challenges that arise. More HQs will appear in lists due to the increased emphasis on detachments, but those HQs will either be more specialized or so offensively-oriented that it doesn't feel like you're paying a tax.

I've been seeing a lot of CSM lists that I call "triple threats", like the one described here on Dakka. There's a Renegade Knight detachment, there's a Soulforged Pack detachment, there's a Thousand Sons detachment with a lot of Tzaangor. I faced a very similar list in a game recently, playing against it felt like I just didn't know what to prioritize fighting against. While the units were strong individually, the strength of the list was that there was never a "best" option for what to attack.

I could see this with any combination of detachments from Vigilus Ablaze and regular CSMs.

More to say about HQs, but this message is getting long. Would appreciate thoughts and comments.