Chaos review...Troops part 1

There are only two pure choices for troops in the Chaos codex. They have all the typical troop stuff you expect from the 40K game, a variety of uses and the ability to customize to fit a few combat roles.

I’ll hit the first, and a personal favorite before….the Chaos Space Marine.

There is little here that is unfamiliar. If you have played 40K then you know what a Space Marine stat-line looks like. They are WS, BS, strength, toughness and initiative of 4, have a single wound and attack, have leadership 8 ( well some Astartes are leadership 9 base) and have a 3+ save. There is nothing real new here. These guys now come armed with a bolter, bolt pistol, frag and krak grenades. They start in a squad of four and have a champion leading them (he is the same except he has 2 attacks, leadership 9 and has a close combat weapon as well). This five man squad starts at a cost of three American quarter and that is pretty awesome. Now they can add up to 15 more bodies at the cost of 13 points each. These are, right now, the cheapest full bodied (meaning all 4’s and 3+ armor) Marines in the game.

Now they have the familiar squad upgrades we all know and love. A squad of five can grab one special weapon: flamer +5, melta gun +10, and plasma gun +15 points. One guy can swap his bolt pistol for a plasma pistol +15 points. Wow, nothing groundbreaking here. Then if the unit is ten members or more, then a second guy can grab: flamer +5, melta gun +10, and plasma gun +15, heavy bolter +10, autocannon +10, missile launcher +15, or a lascannon +20points. After ten guys there is only the benefit of the extra bodies. There is no…”if the squad numbers 15 or 20 then…..” special rule.

Now there is also the option to drop the bolter for a free close combat weapon. These guys can also keep the bolter and add a close combat weapon for +2 points per model. They can also upgrade to “Veterans of the Long War” for +1 point per guy.

The Champion can grab the usual power weapons (+15 for all but +25 for the fist), melta bombs (+5), plasma pistol (+15), and combi-weapons (+3 for bolter and +10 for all the others) just like every other Marine unit out there. He can also grab a pre-game Gift of Mutation for +10 points for those who enjoy a bout of silly randomness.

The squad can also buy a +35 point Rhino for transport. This is now a play style choice as people shun armor 11 vehicles like the plague in this edition.

The squad can grab Marks o’ Chaos to become cult-like troops. These are another personal preference. The marks will cost the squad: +2/guy for Khorne (furious charge bonus), +2/guy Tzeencth (6++ save waste of time), +2/guy Slaanesh ( initiative +1), and +3/guy for Nurgle (+1 toughness).

The choice of Marks is player/game situational. If you want Khorne-light then mark them and just make sure to swap out for a close combat weapon. You want quasi-1000 Sons? Well you are having a stroke and should see a doctor right away. This is an awful idea! Slaanesh is a viable choice, because initiative 5 Marines are pretty good in a gaming world overflowing with Marine armies. Nurgle is also a great choice because toughness 5 Marines are just as good, if not better than initiative 5.

Finally, the squad can grab Icons (or pretty flags). Each of these Icons are attached to the associated Mark, save one. Icon of Wrath for Khorne for +20 points to gain furious charge and a re-roll on the charge distance. Icon of Flame gains the squad the soul blaze ability on bolt weapons for +15 points. I am guessing that you didn’t see a physician about that stroke if you are purchasing this for your squad. Icon of Excess for the Slaanesh crowd will give the squad Feel No Pain for +30 points. A bit expensive and not nearly as good as the previous edition. Nurgle has the Icon of Despair of +10 points. This gives the unit Fear. Ok, a bigger waste of points than the Tzeencth banner since fear only effects…..well really nobody in this game. I guess it might rattle some Tau, the occasional Eldar or even a Necron if you are really really lucky. Totally worthless and anyone buying it for a unit needs have their 40K toys taken away from them. Icon of Vengeance +25 points gives the unit the Fearless rule. This is pretty awesome with the fact fearless is the old 4th edition way and not the crummy 5th edition rule. It is a bit of an investment, but for an unmarked unit it can be a life saver. You just need to keep the icon/ flag waver alive as he can be singled out by Precision Fire.

Bottom line for me, I still like the Chaos Marine. Sure, they went from being the prototype for the current grey Hunter in last codex to a cheaper Tactical Marine in this book. I can like with a 13pt Marine. It is hard to disagree with that. Now where they get the rub is the lack of loyalist “Know No Fear (or really any psychology)” rules.

Chaos Marines will have to take leadership tests and in combat that could be an issues due to the unit Champ having to step-up to fight. Leadership 8 is not terrible, it just isn’t what people want/expect from a Marine. It seems having to actually roll for leadership is an anathema to people now. The ability to be fearless, stubborn, grim, angry, not knowing fear, or what-have-you is the new normal. An actual unit having to leadership test and maybe fail is unthinkable. I guess that is why the Veterans o’ Long War upgrade is so popular and “mandatory.” The Icon of Vengeance is also popular, but it can now be sniped with blasts, powers and the occasional 6+ to hit from characters.

I like a fat squad of 10+ with Nurgle marks camping an objective or advancing with bolters firing from the hip. A great image and not awful. Throw a couple of special weapons of whatever flavor you like and there you go! That or go 10 man, Rhino and a couple special weapons and repeat times four. Sure the armor 11 vehicle is weaker, but four (or more) should still get the force where they need to be.

These guys can get expensive quickly with all the icons, marks, weapons and rules upgrades. It is great they can be run cheap, expensive or tailored to fit various battlefield roles. Their downside is the lack of a fast transport (Drop Pods! Why no Drop Pods?) the fact that a heavy bolter costs +10 points (Why cost it as an autocannon? Seriously?!) and being downgraded a bit from what they were previously. Still, it is hard to dislike a cheaper and more plentiful Space Marine.