Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Wanting to build a CSM Army and all i have is the Chaos models from shadowspear box, could i get some tips and advice on what all i need to build a competitive army of CSM that doesn't run chaos cultist as i just read in the codex that they are mere mortal now and don't know it they are still good to use in army build list with the current faq update that just came out

Well you have almost too many options tbh. It really depends on what sort of list you want to run? There's now lots of ways to run csm that can all work in competitive.

So do you want to run pure csm? Or are you happy with chaos 'soup'?

Do you want a high model count good at playing objectives and screening for beatsticks. Or do you want as few a models as possible?

What playstyle do you want, do you want mele rush, a solid gunline, monster mash or a bit of everything?

Finally do you want to use forgeworld stuff? Again there's lots of competitive options with or without fw.

Would be happy to help you put it together when you've got the options narrowed down a bit

I like the master of execution and the daemon engines Maulerfiends and the Lord Discordant and Dark Apostles, the CSM marines and terminators and the Havocs, and the Cult of Destruction just to name a few. I als forgot to mentiion that I don't mind playing pure CSM as in the Novels i've read so far on Chaos.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I want Abaddon To be my warlord if that help any as he is bad to the bones

I would get at least one more shadowspear of chaos and trade someone else the primaris for desirable parts...

So what you would have is
1 master of possession
3 10-man CSM squads
2 2- man obliterators

add a lord discordant to 3 venom crawlers and you can use the Vigilus formation.

Add abbadon and you have your battalion and the elites formation under the lord discordant.

As an alternative use the greater possessed and add some possessed along with a dark apostle for a close combat feel.

Bottom line is keep it as cheap as possible and find out what you like as your experience grows.

Here's what I've put together with what you own and a couple of small additions.


++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Chaos - Chaos Space Marines) [72 PL, 9CP, 1,260pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Battle-forged CP [3CP]

Council of Traitors [-1CP]

Dark Disciples [1 PL, 10pts]: 2x Dark Disciple

Detachment CP [5CP]

Legion: Black Legion

+ HQ +

Abaddon the Despoiler [12 PL, 2CP, 240pts]: Warlord

Dark Apostle [5 PL, 100pts]: 5. Trusted War-leader, Benediction of Darkness, Council of Traitors, No Chaos Mark

Sorcerer on Bike [8 PL, 140pts]: Bolt pistol, Combi-bolter, Council of Traitors, Death Hex, Force sword, Mark of Tzeentch, Warp Lord, Warptime

+ Troops +

Chaos Space Marines [14 PL, 293pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. Aspiring Champion: Bolt pistol, Combi-plasma
. 17x Marine w/ Boltgun
. Marine w/ special weapon: Plasma gun
. Marine w/ special weapon: Plasma gun

Chaos Space Marines [8 PL, 100pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. Aspiring Champion: Bolt pistol, Combi-plasma
. 4x Marine w/ Boltgun
. Marine w/ special weapon: Plasma gun

Chaos Space Marines [4 PL, 87pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. Aspiring Champion: Bolt pistol, Combi-plasma
. 3x Marine w/ Boltgun
. Marine w/ special weapon: Plasma gun

+ Elites +

Chaos Terminators [20 PL, 290pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. Chaos Terminator Champion: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter
. Terminator: Chainaxe, Combi-bolter

++ Spearhead Detachment +1CP (Chaos - Chaos Space Marines) [38 PL, -1CP, 738pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Detachment CP [1CP]

Field Commander [-1CP]

Legion: Black Legion

Specialist Detachment [-1CP]: Devastation Battery

+ HQ +

Chaos Lord with Jump Pack [6 PL, 93pts]: Armour Bane, Bolt pistol, Chainsword, No Chaos Mark, The Daemon's Eye

+ Heavy Support +

Havocs [7 PL, 150pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. Aspiring Champion: Bolt pistol, Chainsword
. 4x Havoc w/ missile launcher: 4x Missile launcher

Havocs [7 PL, 150pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. Aspiring Champion: Bolt pistol, Chainsword
. 4x Havoc w/ missile launcher: 4x Missile launcher

Obliterators [18 PL, 345pts]: Mark of Slaanesh, 3x Obliterator

++ Total: [110 PL, 8CP, 1,998pts] ++

Could change round a few bits and pieces, change weapin loadouts etc. Autocannons on havocs or reaper chaincannons on csm etc.

Decide what army you want to play: Word Bearers, Black Legion, something in Vigilus Ablaze, your own army, etc. Go with the paint scheme, fluff, or playstyle you like.

If you want daemon engines, start with a Lord Discordant, defiler, and a maulerfiend. You'll have a nice variety of 3 daemon engines, all decent to excellent, to play around with.

Get 2 boxes of marines or cultists to fill out your troop choices.

I would caution against getting another Shadowspear. You don't need another MoP or more Greater Possessed. If you want CSM just get the box and get actual options.

I have been looking at either going black legion or emperor's children and maybe with the emperor's children running slaanesh demons in the army but i'm not still too sure what to get for models in the emperor's children army besides noise marines