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This is a "rough draft" list to see if the Maelstrom of Gore can be made to be a viable core for a Black Crusade. Details are below.

++Black Crusade++
+Maelstrom of Gore+
Chaos Lord on Juggernaut w/ Axe of Blind Fury & Sigil of Corruption - 160 (Free Mark of Khorne) [Warlord]
5 Berserkers, Champ w/ Meltabombs - 110
-Rhino - 35
5 Berserkers, Champ w/ Meltabombs - 110
-Rhino - 35
5 Berserkers, Champ w/ Meltabombs - 110
5 Berserkers, Champ w/ Meltabombs - 110

+Spawn Auxiliary++
3 Spawn - 90

+Helforged Warpack+
Warpsmith, replaces Bolt Pistol w/ Combi-Melta - 120
Forgefiend - 175 - Alpha
Maulerfiend - 125
Maulerfiend - 125

+Helforged Warpack+
Warpsmith, replaces Bolt Pistol w/ Combi-Melta - 120
Forgefiend - 175 - Alpha
Maulerfiend - 125
Maulerfiend - 125

Notes: The Lord joins the spawn until it's time to charge, in which case he'll probably split off to hit another unit.

I took two Rhinos for the Berserkers, but they won't use them. Rather, they're there for the Warpsmiths to "hijack" on turn 1. This makes them a pricier "Suicide Melta" team compared to the normal 5-man Chaos squad, but they get a few cute utility options to work with.

The Berserkers run on foot (ideally infiltrating into better positions). They took Melta-bombs so they have something to blow up walkers/MCs with during the turn they pop Red Rain. Forgefiends are "fire support" for popping trouble support elements (infinite-use Daemonforge is quite handy), and Maulerfiends support the Berserkers in tearing through targets.

Fleet and improved run distance makes Berserkers surprisingly quick when it comes to getting around. They're no Flesh Hounds though they'll still wreck stuff on a charge.

I think it looks like a cool list idea. The sad thing is the berzerkers who are supposed to be the main point of the list are pretty much useless. Running on foot, probably will never see combat. They are overpriced to be cheap objective holders. Ideally with a list like this the idea is have a ton of Berzerkers slamming ur opponent with axes and blades. So much brute force that the enemy gets overrun. The problem is the codex offers no delivery method so its not your fault.


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If i was going to maelstrom id bring 3 land raiders and a forgeworld drop pod. But ya, hardly competitive everything overpriced.

Fleet and +3 run/assault move does make them not that much slower compared to Maulerfiends.

Land Raiders aren't worth taking unless you're running Lucifer or some other army gimmick (I could see them being annoying with Ork allies, but that's about it).

The main issue would be certain alpha-strike armies/reserves of course, or the old "bad dice rolls" issue.

If you want Berserkers, why not run KDK? Every option you have selected is available, and KDK do it better with Blood Tithe.

The second Warpack is full of wasted points.... Warpsmith, Forgefiend... not optimal selections. You can take 5 Maulerfiends and still have points left over for an Air Superiority Detachment of KDK Heldrakes.

Berzerkers can't get it done. The Maelstrom of Gore is only decent with Landraider or Psychic support. You are literally using 110pt units to hold objectives, when you could be using the Chaos Warband for Objective Secured.

If you're going to take Spawn, its 1 or 5, full stop. The reason we use Spawn is to give a place for Characters to hide... but you only have 1 character. One of the biggest strengths of the Black Crusade Detachment is the ability to take 5 or more Independent Characters!

I agree about the bigger spawn unit. Five spawn forces the opponent to work to get to your chaos lord, three seems like it would work now and then but you shouldn't sell that unit short

To keep the character of the list what I'd do is run one hunting pack and have four maulerfiends and a forgefiend. You save a forgefiend and a warpsmith. Give rhinos to all berzerker units, attack the warpsmith to one of those units. Take three units of spawn instead of one, and make sure the unit the lord joins is a unit of 5. I'd probably have at least three spawn in the two other units so they're a meaningful threat. Any points left over would be spent on more berzerkers.

Realistically I'd be looking to give one or two berzerker champions power fists/weapons for rule of cool. That's just personal taste though. I love kitting out my unit leaders differently to give them character

Problem with that is you now only have two ranged units. Rhinos mean you assault on turn 3 rather than 2, and negate the main bonus of the Maelstrom in the first place ("speedy Berserkers"). On foot, you're going to effectively cover 9-15" of movement on turn 1, leaning towards the high end, and move 6 and get an average charge range of 10" on turn 2. The idea of having Forgefiends and Melta is to be able to pop at least a few transports so there is something to assault in the first place...

I stand corrected. It looks like the bonus is only for charging. Meh.