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Hey folks,

I (barely) played 40k years ago, and now I'm wanting to get back into it, collecting CSM. I've browsed the boxes at my FLGS, and some of the models are cool, some are okay, and some are AMAZING--after doing some research I've realized the stuff I think is amazing is "Crimson Slaughter" models.

What's the best way to build a force using many/most of the Crimson Slaughter models? Is Dark Vengeance the best first purchase? Then the Crimson Slaughter expansion? Or is any of that stuff useless?

Thanks folks, I've been looking at CSM for years and the C.S. stuff just pushed me over the top!

Personally I loved the dark vengeance box and even converted all the dark angel stuff into more chaos stuff for an army! I'd say go ahead on that plus the CS expansion box and you'd definitely have a decent army to start!

Here is the best way to start 40k so that you have a long and happy hobby: buy what you like the look of. Build and paint these models, add any more that you think look cool and as you are doing this play and watch some games as well as read the codex. Making a proper army that you are satisfied with is far more successful if you build it up over time with models you love as the bases and competitive models added on when you want to get competitive.

That is how my friends and I have built armies over the years and, at this point in time, I can say there isn't a single model on my shelves which I would sell.

So if you think Crimson slaughter looks cool, buy the models that you like, buy the codex, play some games, only buy in models that you like in order to enhance your army. We could give you a shopping list of what to buy to make a comp CS army but then it wouldn't be yours.

the amazing models are proably the chaos lord, and chosen from the dark vengence starter box, so buy that to start with. sadly despite them being gorgous GW has NOT produced a similer chosen kit. which is a shame. they did however produce an independant helbrute kit

YES. That Chaos Lord. That model itself is almost enough to do it for me.

Great suggestion, mrhappyface!

I've gone through many minis games through the years, and I'm realizing that often I'd burn myself out very early by trying to immediately become an expert, by worrying about what to buy, etc, etc. Now, I just want to buy and paint sweet-ass models and put them on the table and have a fun wargame.

I'm going to take this nice and slow and enjoy myself (started playing BB as well, so I don't feel a need to hurry to get an army to the table. I just want to build one that I think is cool, and I'll get it to the table eventually--who knows, 8th edition might drop before I do!)

Don't trust Mr. Brexit.
CSM has a delivery problem and the army is too pt costly.
That said, go for Crimson Slaughter if you want to.
You will regret it if you want to enter competitive play.

Forgive my ignorance, but can Crimson Slaughter use formations from Traitor's Hate? Not saying it would make their armies better, but it's not something I have really thought through.

wuestenfux wrote:Don't trust Mr. Brexit.
CSM has a delivery problem and the army is too pt costly.
That said, go for Crimson Slaughter if you want to.
You will regret it if you want to enter competitive play.

If he takes it slow then by the time he is looking at comp play then 8th might be out and everything will change, dun, dun, dun! Besides CSM can be used semi comp as many players have shown, he won't win tournaments but a smart CSM player can get into the top 5.

techsoldaten wrote:Forgive my ignorance, but can Crimson Slaughter use formations from Traitor's Hate? Not saying it would make their armies better, but it's not something I have really thought through.

The Crimson slaughter have their own formations but you can use the traitors hate ones.

 wuestenfux wrote:
Don't trust Mr. Brexit.
CSM has a delivery problem and the army is too pt costly.
That said, go for Crimson Slaughter if you want to.
You will regret it if you want to enter competitive play.

it might shock you but not everyone picks their 40k army for what is the OP FOTM.

 Hans Chung-Otterson wrote:
Hey folks,

I (barely) played 40k years ago, and now I'm wanting to get back into it, collecting CSM. I've browsed the boxes at my FLGS, and some of the models are cool, some are okay, and some are AMAZING--after doing some research I've realized the stuff I think is amazing is "Crimson Slaughter" models.

What's the best way to build a force using many/most of the Crimson Slaughter models? Is Dark Vengeance the best first purchase? Then the Crimson Slaughter expansion? Or is any of that stuff useless?

Thanks folks, I've been looking at CSM for years and the C.S. stuff just pushed me over the top!

Yes! Make them in to a CSM Warband Formation, using legion rules and just paint them as Crimson Slaughter.

It is worth remembering Crimson Slaughter are renegades, i.e. pirates, so need to loot in order to keep their supplies stocked.

As shown by Dark Vengeance, Crimson Slaughter have bloodied the Dark Angels nose more than once... Scavenge their dead and paint the Dark Angel models as newly raised crimson slaughter in looted armour!

That smooth loyalist armour is a great opportunity to freehand some ghostly daemonic faces and warp-stress to chaos those guys up nicely!

I just wanted to add that the models in the dark vengeance kit aren't technically crimson slaughter. There is no sculpted iconography like with space marine chapters.
If you are going to play csm I suggest looking at the traitor legions and see if any of them tickle your fancy more so than crimson slaughter. Not saying you shouldn't play Crimson Slaughter, but the Legion supplement is far superior to the Crimson slaughter supplement (and traitor's Hate...which you'll want if playing CS).

 wuestenfux wrote:
Don't trust Mr. Brexit.
CSM has a delivery problem and the army is too pt costly.
That said, go for Crimson Slaughter if you want to.
You will regret it if you want to enter competitive play.

Eh, I'm not interested in competitive play. I have wanted that in the past, and when I did, I played Warmachine and was satisfied. Now I just want a fun game with cool models. I doubt I'd ever even enter a 40k tournament.

Plus, I'm also collecting Eldar, because SPACE ELVES and INFINITY CIRCUIT and other stuff that SOUNDS COOL. I heard they're competitive but that's not my reason for collecting them.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Roknar wrote:
I just wanted to add that the models in the dark vengeance kit aren't technically crimson slaughter. There is no sculpted iconography like with space marine chapters.
If you are going to play csm I suggest looking at the traitor legions and see if any of them tickle your fancy more so than crimson slaughter. Not saying you shouldn't play Crimson Slaughter, but the Legion supplement is far superior to the Crimson slaughter supplement (and traitor's Hate...which you'll want if playing CS).

Thank you for the suggestions. I definitely need to read up on the traitor legions.

Crimson Slaughter (and believe me, ive been using their book for most of 7th) at the moment is the best use of options Straight From the Codex, (what loyalists would call Vanilla) so is great for a Starting player. They make good use of the standard Combined Arms Detachment, and that can trim the fat off of your lists.

The new Traitor Legions book is an improvement, but involves more flavoring, and specific formations and restrictions that can really limit your collection.

 Nightlord1987 wrote:
Crimson Slaughter (and believe me, ive been using their book for most of 7th) at the moment is the best use of options Straight From the Codex, (what loyalists would call Vanilla) so is great for a Starting player. They make good use of the standard Combined Arms Detachment, and that can trim the fat off of your lists.

The new Traitor Legions book is an improvement, but involves more flavoring, and specific formations and restrictions that can really limit your collection.

you can run a CAD as traitor legions and still get many of the perks. most of their good advantages aren't formation specific. they basicly turned VOTLW into "chapter tactics"