TasadarTheMadBear wrote:
Which do you prefer, Cultist or Spawn? I personally use them to fill in a few spare points and to add some wounds to my usually out numbered CSM. But which are more effective? Both are very different, but I find I end up using them for a lot of the same reasons. I'll provide my army list here just so people know what I'm working with, but this is not a list post, I'm asking specifically about Cultist and Spawn. Their pro, cons, and how they compare.

HQ-
Khorne Lord w/ Jump Pack, Axe of Blind Fury, Aura, and Gift -150
Huron Blackheart -160
Troops-
10 Marines w/ 2 Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol, Power Sword, Gift, and MoN -248
10 Marines w/ 2 Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol, Power Sword, Gift, and MoN -248
Elites-
6 Chosen w/ 3 Meltaguns, Pair of LC, 2 Power Weapons, Gift, MoS, and Icon of Excess -255
Fast Attack-
8 Raptors w/ Pair of LC, Gift, 2 Meltaguns, MoK, and Icon of Wrath -237
Heavy Support-
3 Obliterators w/ MoN -228
7 Havocs w/ 4 Missile Launchers, 4 Flakk Missiles, MoN, and Icon of Vengeance -247
Fortification-
Aegis Defence Line w/ Quad Gun -100
Total -1873pts

That leaves me with 127pts left to work with. Assuming my opponent is ok with me being a point over the 2k limit (and most at my local shop are) I can squeeze in either 29 Cultist with a Shotgun on the Champion, or 4 Spawn with the Mark of Khorne. The Spawn would give me 12 wounds at T5 with anywhere between 4-24 S5 attacks while the Cultist give me 29 T3 wounds and 59 S3 attacks plus 29 S3 autopistol shots. The Spawn are Beast so they're faster and definitely better in combat, but the Cultist do have more than twice the wounds and attacks. Should I go with the Cultist and their massive number of bodies or the much tougher and stronger Spawn? The Cultist are also Troops so they're a scoring unit.

 labmouse42 wrote:
Bare bones cultists. Maybe give em a flamer if you have spare points to burn.

This is because in a game where 5/6 of the games are objective based to some degree or another, having a cheap objective camper is a useful tool.

TasadarTheMadBear wrote:

 Exergy wrote:


Flakk missiels are really expensive, I wouldnt take them, autocannons all the way
MoN is also questionable on them, though Ill allow it.
Icon of vengence is really getting to be too much.
That unit is 247 points!
you could have 2X 5 Havocs with 4 autocannons for 230 points. 16 shots at BS1 is the same as 4 shots at BS4 against fliers but they are better against everything else. More bodies is more survivable and because there are two units you can split fire.

Your chosen are also overcosted. dual lightning claws end up costing more than a mutilator.

You need more troops, so cultists. spawn may be awesome but you need troops

Are Autocannons the better choice? If i did this they wouldn't be fearless or be T5, but 16 shots is good. I mainly put the Missile Launchers in there because I dont have much anti-air

 wuestenfux wrote:
Well, I'd stay away from a mark for the Cultists. They should be kept as cheap as possible, sticked into cover if possible.
If the unit is large enough, the enemy may think twice before charging them.

TasadarTheMadBear wrote:
So my Havocs would still do well if they lost the MoN and the Icon of Vengeance? If I drop them from both squads I would have an extra 80pts. Now should I give my Cultist Autoguns or just keep the CC weapons and pistols? If I stayed with CC weapons I can add 20 Cultist to my current squad or have another squad of 17. If I go with Autoguns I can add 14 to my current squad. Are the Heavy Stubber and Heavy Flamer options worth losing 1.5 Cultist?