Warhammer 40,000/10th Edition Tactics/Chaos Space Marines

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This is the current 10th Edition's Chaos Space Marine tactics. 9th Edition Tactics are here.

Why Play Chaos Space Marines

Pros

  • You have an incredible amount of synergy that empower various playstyles with fun combinations between marks of chaos and units used.
  • Your army has amazing souping potential that other armies wish they could have.
  • Chaos Marines are an offensive powerhouse that is the most satisfying when your dark pacts work and bodies drop.
  • The removal of Mere Mortals means you can spam cultists on the board without being called a cheater.
  • Several daemon engines perform remarkably as Maulerfiends rip apart anything in their way and Heldrakes swoop down anything that dares to take to the skies.

Cons

  • Your wargear options are incredibly limited and predictable to your opponent.
  • The removal of subfactions has taken a toll on what you’re allowed to give your warlord. This is worse when you consider that you went from 48 Warlord Traits and 67 Relics to only 5 enhancements. This army has lost 96% of character enhancements on the jump to 10th
  • These enhancements are also locked to whichever god your character is marked with.
  • Your army ability can work against you on really bad days despite your base leadership and rerolls.
  • It is very apparent you get the short end of the stick compared to your loyalist counterpart. Their captain alone has 7 versions while Chaos Lords only have 2.

Faction Rules

  • Dark Pacts: Any time one of your units makes an attack, you can choose to make an offering to the dark gods, giving either Lethal Hits or Sustained Hits 1. After you resolve your hits, you have to pass a Leadership test or suffer d3 mortal wounds. While not the wisest take on cultists, but the marines could make use of this - especially if you grab an icon to re-roll their Ld test.
  • The Lost and the Damned: The rule that lets you attach Khorne Berserkers, Plague Marines and Rubric Marines despite no longer sharing a codex. This gives them the Heretic Astartes keyword instead of whatever they used to have. That said, it's only presumed that they get Dark Pacts, since their datasheets only have their faction rules. It's also uncertain if anyone can attach to them due to the limitations of the Leader rule.

Detachments

Slaves to Darkness

Special Rules

  • Marks of Chaos: Every non-epic hero unit without any of the following keywords must be assigned one; khorne psyker is an illegal pairing, and characters can only Leader Bodyguards who have the same Mark keyword as them. Each keyword also provides a special rule, all of which buff your hit rolls, so leave those Torrent weapons at home, folks.
    • Khorne: If you use Dark Pacts in the Fight Phase to gain [Lethal Hits], you critically hit on a 5+.
    • Nurgle: If you use Dark Pacts in the Shooting Phase to gain [Sustained Hits 1], you critically hit on a 5+.
      • That means Nurgle particularly favors Combi-Weapons, the Infernal Gaze Sorcerer gun on Hazardous mode, Forgefiends regardless of guns, and the Fellgor Beastmen Corrupted Stave.
    • Slaanesh: If you use Dark Pacts in the Fight Phase to gain [Sustained Hits 1], you critically hit on a 5+.
      • That means Slaanesh particularly favors Axes of Dismemberment, the Commune Stave on Dark Communes, Daemon and Warp Hammers, Heldrakes, and Possessed.
    • Tzeentch: If you use Dark Pacts in the Shooting Phase to gain [Lethal Hits], you critically hit on a 5+.
      • That means Tzeentch particularly favors Fleshmetal Guns on warp hail mode, (Twin) Heavy Bolters, and Reaper Autocannons.
    • Chaos Undivided: Re-roll hit rolls of 1.
      • Note that this means Khorne and Tzeentch have less use than the other three keywords for [Devastating Wounds], as their special buff makes critical wounds even less likely, and across the board you should be avoiding [Torrent] weapons.
        • If you use a Helbrute to pick up both Dark Pact abilities at once, Khorne and Tzeentch will like this just fine. The same is true if you're wielding a weapon with [Sustained Hits 1] built in, like a Heavy Bolter.

Stratagems

<tabs> <tab name="Battle Tactic">

  • Infernal Rites (2 CP): Any attacks against one unit reduce their AP by 1. Twice as expensive as the loyalist equivalent, just in case you forgot who the favorites were.
  • Profane Zeal (1 CP): One unit may re-roll any 1s to hit and/or to wound. If that unit was marked with Chaos Undivided, re-roll any hit rolls and/or wound rolls. The stuff dreams are made of, you'll be using this every turn.

</tab> <tab name="Epic Deed">

  • Skinshift (1 CP): In the command phase, one unit regains 3 wounds. If marked with Tzeentch, one destroyed model that isn't a character can be returned to that unit at full wounds. Last edition's Master of Possession wishes it had something this good. Perfect for Obliterators, who also benefit greatly from being marked Tzeentch thanks to Dark Pact.

</tab> <tab name="Strategic Ploy">

  • Dark Obscuration (1 CP): When an enemy tries to shoot at one of your units, that unit gains Stealth for some extra protection. Nurgle units take this a step further by preventing enemies from attacking them unless they're within 12".
  • Eternal Hate (1 CP): When one unit is attacked in melee, any models that die can make one last round of attacks before dying on a 4+. If that unit had the Khorne mark, add 1 to that roll.
  • Unnatural Swiftness (1 CP): One unit can shoot and charge after falling back. If that unit was marked with Slaanesh, it can shoot and charge after advancing as well.
    • This is broadly useful, but the Slaanesh mark kicks it into overdrive by making one unit capable of slingshotting itself across the board whilst remaining a threat the whole time. Venomcrawlers come to mind as the perfect target for this.

</tab> </tabs>

Enhancements

  • Eye of Tzeentch: Tzeentch only, of course. Whenever the bearer's unit uses Dark Pacts, they also need to make a Leadership test for a free CP.
  • Intoxicating Elixir: Slaanesh only. Grants the bearer a 5+++ FNP and whenever they make a Dark Pact, one enemy they hit must take a battle-shock test.
    • You don't want this on a Leader, since it really only benefits one model - instead, you want this on a model that would otherwise be taking heavy fire. Since it keeps your Wounds up, you most likely want this on a Winged Daemon Prince, to make the most of having more Wounds remaining.
  • Liber Hereticus: Chaos Undivided only. Using Dark Pacts grants the bearer's unit both [Sustained Hits 1] AND [Lethal Hits] at the same time, as if there was a Helbrute nearby.
  • Orbs of Unlife: Nurgle only. At the end of the fight phase, roll a d6 for every enemy unit within 6" of the bearer, adding +1 if they used a Dark Pact on that turn. On a 4+, the enemy suffers d3 mortal wounds.
  • Talisman of Burning Blood: Khorne only. Bearer's melee weapons gain +1 to Attacks and Strength. Whenever the bearer's unit makes a Dark Pact, the weapon instead adds +d3 to Attacks and Strength.
    • You want this on a model with weapons that have Extra Attacks so the buff happens multiple times, meaning this is ideal on a Lord Discordant (how you will get the model into melee without it dying on the approach is, well, your problem).

Tactics

  • Take Abaddon and a Nurgle Helbrute and mark all of your units to be of Tzeentch or Nurgle; re-roll even successful hits to fish for crits. Now a BS3+ shooter will hit critically 5/9 (56%) of the time (and hit non-critically another 2/9 or 22% of the time); each critical hit is an automatic wound that must roll to penetrate and a hit that must roll to wound.
    • Add Nurgle Forgefiends and fire in Hazardous mode so the hits that roll to wound are hoping to Devastate and ignore saves.
    • Give Abaddon a Chaos Terminator escort full of combi-weapons and a reaper cannon; he has Chaos Undivided, so you can use the Profane Zeal strat to re-roll wound rolls on the whole unit to fish for critical wounds for Devastating Wounds. Odds are good Abbadon will refund the cost of the strat anyway.
      • Then you can add a Chaos Lord in Terminator Armour with a second unit of Termies and the Liber Hereticus enhancement (make sure you mark the whole squad as Chaos Undivided): this use of Profane Zeal will work whether or not Abbadon uses it and will cost 0 CP, and since the entire thing is mobile, it doesn't need to deep strike anywhere near the rest of the army to function. It won't hit as hard since you won't critically hit on 5+, but it'll still do pretty good work.
    • Nurgle Vindicators are good in any list but will synergize with this combo as well - it's just that at S14 Lethal Hits is less significant.

Dark Zealots (Combat Patrol)

An introduction to the utility of the traitor legions, though you sadly get no marks.

Composition: 1 Ghallaron the Pious, 10 Legionaries, 5 Havocs, 1 Helbrute

  • Ghallaron the Pious: A Dark Apostle to lead your Legionaries in combat. While you can't sacrifice the lackeys, they don't really do anything anyways.
  • Legionaries: A bit disorganized of a loadout, but you can split them into squads of 5 to keep things a bit in order. Shame they lost their re-rolls to wound.
    • For melee you've got three chainswords, one being your icon bearer as well. Your champion also has an Accursed Weapon as well as a plasma pistol.
    • For shooting you've got four bolters, a heavy bolter and a melta. Best idea is to keep the melta with the melee crew since he'll be in range to trigger [Melta 2] anyways.
  • Havocs: Comes with a missile launcher and heavy bolter on top of your stock autocannon and lascannon while your champion took a plasma gun. A strange array of weapons to pick with no immunity to modifiers to hit, but remain your heavy weapons squad.
  • Helbrute: The hammer smashes tanks, the cannon blasts TEQs. This is your big menace, but it loses that cool aura to buff Dark Pacts for your Havocs.

Enhancements

  • Hateful Exhortation: Mark one enemy for death. Any time Ghallaron the Pious' unit scores a critical wound on this enemy, the AP of their attack improves by 1.
  • Infernal Blessing: Grants Ghallaron the Pious' squad a 5+ FNP save. Just as good an option as the default if not better.

Secondary Objectives

  • Champion of the Dark Gods: Basic goal, score 3 VP each time Ghallaron the Pious kills things.
  • Idolatrous Despoilers: 4 VP each turn you have a unit that isn't battle-shocked on the enemy DZ.

Stratagems

  • Bitter Blows (1 CP): When enemies attack one Infantry unit in melee, your guys can fight on after dying on a 4+.
  • Empyric Rites (1 CP): One of your Infantry units gets a 4++ on the enemy's Shooting or Fight phase.
  • Malicious Volleys (1 CP): One Infantry unit can re-roll 1s to hit one enemy unit, which improves to re-rolling all hits if the enemy's below half-strength.

Wargear

Unit Analysis

As per the Daemon index, you can have 1/4 of your army in points be Chaos Daemons. As per the Adeptus Titanicus index, you can have up to 1 Chaos Titan model. As per the Chaos Knights index, you can have up to 1 titanic or 3 war dog Chaos Knights models in your army. See those tactica pages for an in-depth analysis, but remember, in both cases anything you field will lose its Faction rules (what happens in terms of Detachment rules will still be Detachment-specific, but you'll have to pick a CSM Detachment).

Characters

  • Chaos Lord: The typical leader of your Chaos Marines and a general powerhouse that can make a stratagem have no cost for his unit.

<tabs> <tab name="Chaos Lord"> Leads: Chosen and Legionaries

In addition, once per game, he can increase the stats of his equipped melee weapons by 1 for the rest of the fighting phase; +1 attack, strength, armor piercing, and damage. Sadly he gives no buffs to anyone he leads other than using a strat for 0 CP even if it's already been used, so grouping him with Legionnaires and Chosen only exists to add bodies between him and any enemy that isn't made for killing characters.

  • Comes right out the gate with a mighty daemon hammer. Though you do still have other weapons, none of them really stack up - The power fist is the closest in stats, but it still gives up [Devastating Wounds] for a 2+ WS while the Accursed Weapon that now stands in for power weapons and the chainsword both see dropoffs in effectiveness for more attacks.
  • While you can dual wield, there's not much point since it costs you the plasma pistol.

</tab> <tab name="Terminator"> Leads: Chaos Terminators

Alongside the basic buffs of a Terminator, this beast of a man halves any damage he takes rather than a once-per-game ability, making this model an indomitable ire upon your opponent. Of course he still has the same flaw of the leader of the group having no actual buffs to anyone he leads other than stratagem support, and the gutting of combi weapons has rendered him useless to gunner armies, but at least he’s more durable this edition, right? Right?

  • If you're looking for more melee options, you're pretty much given only two options: The twin weapons that are essentially the heretical equivalent to twin claws and the power fist for something stronger (with the Chainfist being just that with [Anti-Vehicle 3+].

</tab> </tabs>

  • Dark Apostle: The evil chaplain is now stuck with his two lackeys. He retains all the big draws of a chaplain, giving +1 to wound for any pack of legionaries, chosen, cultists or accursed cultists he joins in melee while also having a single-use ability to cure a unit within 9" of battle-shock. However, he also has an ability to sacrifice one of his lackeys (and sadly nobody else) to make one enemy he's engaged with to suffer 1 MW on a 2+ or d3 MWs on a 6.
    • Leads: Accursed Cultists, Chosen, Cultist Mobs, and Legionaries
    • Simply put, the sacrifice isn't worth it unless you really want someone dead on that turn. MEQs are all W2 or higher and no hero worth their statline will be threatened by the loss of those wounds.
  • Dark Commune: Not much they could do but go up, the Commune can join a mob of cultists or mutants to grant them a 5++ while the Demagogue is around. While all of them contain all manner of meager weapons, you do get a psyker and an Icon to get a re-roll when using Dark Pacts - Something you need with how puny they are. The demagogue also has a single-use ability to let the squad charge after advancing and adding +1 to hit and wound - maybe helpful for mutated cultists getting into the fray but nothing else.
    • Leads: Accursed Cultists and Cultist Mobs
    • Any sniper or unit with [Precision] can easily kill the Demagogue and turn the entire unit useless, of course.
  • Exalted Champion: What a sad day it is that the Exalted Champion, which lost practically everything in the previous edition, came to become the absolute necessity with the Chaos Lord being too obsessed with his own ego to help his men out. While his gear remains utterly anemic with a combi-weapon and exalted weapon, he now gives out the very handy +1 to hit to any squad he's a part of. Even better, he can now accompany any units occupied by another character so they can do all the heavy lifting.
    • Leads: Chosen and Legionaries, and can pair with any other Leader except a second Exalted Champion.
  • Heretic Astartes Daemon Prince: While beefed at T9 W10 with a 2+/4++ save with a one-use 3++, they can no longer hide behind the other heretics. Their Hellforged Weapons is pretty much an amalgamation of their old sword, axe and claws with a split profile, though their Strike only sees them able to take on other smaller monsters and tanks while their swipes make them only somewhat able to handle MEQs while their Infernal Cannon lets them shoot something.
    • Of course, each god gives a bit of a boost on the prince. Khorne provides a hefty boost to the Strength of the melee weapons, Tzeentch only boosts the number of shots the cannon makes, Nurgle adds extra Toughness and Slaanesh adds to the Movement. What you don't get from any of this is any psychic power whatsoever.

<tabs> <tab name="On Foot"> Bumped to T10 thanks to not needing to be aerodynamic, making him less likely to go down to meltas. Gains both a 6" bubble of [Stealth] to make heretics crowd around them as well as a re-roll to one hit and wound roll per phase. </tab> <tab name="Wings"> The boost in speed is also met with a boost in aggression. In addition to making enemies test for battle-shock when charged, you also roll a pool of d6s for each wound they have left, dealing a mortal wound for each 4+. While it won't make them any better at punching anything bigger, it does help make your intended prey go down much faster. </tab> </tabs>

  • Lord Discordant on Helstalker:
  • Master of Executions: The duelist hero, as his super-axe both [Devastating Wounds] and [Precision] as well as the ability to grant CP for killing characters. The one reason you stick him onto a unit is because he can let them re-roll to hit when the enemy is missing models and re-rolls to wound when below half-strength.
    • While this all sounds cool, he isn't anywhere near his loyalist brethren. The Primaris Champion lets his squad re-roll charges and gives free uses of Heroic Intervention while the Judiciar has an invulnerable save in melee and lets his units fight first. Simply put, they will run you down in a fight.
    • Leads: Chosen and Legionaries
  • Master of Possession: While not as powerful and as important as 9th edition, the buffs given to a unit he leads can get into the fray faster with a +1 to advance and charge, something that synergizes well with the Chosen’s ability to Advance and Charge. The 6+++ FNP isn’t the best thing in the world, but it gives extra durability to units he leads and makes failed tests from the Dark Pact survivable.
    • Leads: Chosen, Legionaries, and Possessed (your only leader who can lead Possessed).
    • He also comes with an ability to deal a mortal wound to his unit (something to use your FNP on) to improve his psychic attacks with a +1 to hit and wound. This is actually really good because it ensures he wounds MEQs and TEQs on a 2+ with [Precision] on his Rites of Possession so any leaders in your opponent’s unit aren’t safe. Psykers Beware.
  • Sorcerer: The Sorcerer has become limited in power this edition, with his Infernal Gaze power being relegated to a 24" shooting attack, with a variable profile depending on how hard you want to stare at your target.

<tabs> <tab name="Sorcerer"> Leads: Chosen and Legionaries

The lightweight sorcerer who can only join Legionaries and Chosen, which limits his admittedly useful abilities from being widely effective. Prescience grants the unit he's leading a -1 to be hit, Gift of Chaos makes any enemies he hits with a psychic weapon take a battle-shock test. If that test is failed, the enemy unit takes d3 mortal wounds on top of everything. A decidedly average model with average abilities, take him if he appeals to you. </tab> <tab name="Terminator"> Leads: Chaos Terminators The chunkiest wizard you can get, coming with the standard termie profile and packing some choice abilities. Attaching this guy to your Terminator squad will let them re-roll their advances and charges thanks to Warptime, and even better, Death Hex marks an enemy so anyone who hits them gets to a bump in AP. Seeing as how he's the only unit apart from the termie Lord and Abaddon that can attach to them and is the only guy that actually buffs them, you'll be taking him if you want to actually run Terminators and not a gaggle of meat shields. </tab> </tabs>

  • Traitor Enforcer: An evil Commissar with a power fist paired with a Chaos Ogryn bodyguard whose only use is to join a pack of Traitor Guardsmen. He allows the guardsmen to use the Insane Bravery Strat for no CP, but it will cost you a model each time you use it. Consider it at your peril because you don't have someone to resurrect them. The Ogryn grants the Commissar a 4+++.
    • Leads: Traitor Guardsmen
  • Warpsmith: The evil techmarine, coming stock with two servos with a melta and flamer while wielding a plasma pistol and a powerful exalted weapon in place of any power weapons. If you really want him to dent tanks and paste MEQs, you can buy a daemon hammer. Despite being able to hide behind havocs, legionaries, and chosen, he gets Lone Operative when he's within 3" of a Vehicle while also being able to heal d3 wounds on one to give +1 to hit.
    • Leads: Chosen, Havocs (your only leader who can), and Legionaries.
    • While he can comfortably camp in the back with havocs and legionaries, there is an incentive to get him closer. His third ability forces an enemy Vehicle within 12" to make an instant Battle-shock test, which can help screw up things for the tank in question.

Epic Heroes

  • Abaddon the Despoiler: One of the very few to have lost out in tankiness, being nerfed to T5 with the same W9 and 2+/4++. Dark Destiny at least makes using Dark Pacts a good idea as passing the associated Leadership test lets him roll another d6 and win 1 CP. The Warmaster lets him pick from one of three different 6" buff auras: Paragon of Hatred lets friendly units re-roll to hit, Mark of Chaos Ascendant shares his 4++ save with friendly Infantry and Mounted units, Lord of the Chaos Legions lets friendly units re-roll Leadership and Battle-shock tests.
    • His combat loadout remains quite the threat and then some. The Talon of Horus remains plenty terrifying with a barrage of S7 AP-3 with Devastating Wounds while the strapped-on Combi-Bolter remaining S5 AP-1 D2 with Sustained Hits 1. Drach'nyen, however, got an absolutely monstrous buff, now being upped to Strength FOURTEEN AP-4 D3, also with Devastating Wounds - and all without any drawbacks that come with being a Daemon Weapon.
    • Abby's not only got every mark known to man so he can enjoy any of their benefits, he can also attach himself to both Terminators and Legionaries, both of whom still benefit from his bubbles.
  • Cypher:
  • Haarken Worldclaimer: Benefited a lot from the edition change. For starters, he's learned how to throw his spear, which can be fired on the move thanks to [Assault], and also gets [Sustained Hits d3] as well, in case you roll a 6. Thanks to his Chaos Undivided mark, he'll be able to fish for that 6. In addition, his Head Taker ability gives his attached unit (just Raptors) a Hammer of Wrath-like ability, causing whatever they charge to take a mortal wound on a 4+ for every model that charged into engagement range. Because he hangs around with other scary guys, he forces units within 6" to take a battle-shock test if they're below starting strength, and thanks to the Raptors he's likely leading, those units take that test at a -1. His melee capability hasn't suffered, either, with his claw getting precision with 6 attacks on 2+, so he'll definitely nail anything lighter than a Marine captain in combat. He can also swing his spear in combat thanks to [Extra Attacks], and it keeps the [Sustained Hits d3] and gains [Lance]. All of this on a platform that can deep strike as well as rocking a 12" move and 4++, he'll definitely earn his keep if you're going all in on Raptors.
  • Huron Blackheart:
  • Fabius Bile:
  • Lucius the Eternal: If he is your warlord, you can only take slaanesh Chaos Daemons.
  • Vashtorr the Arkifane:

Battleline

A unit that can gain Battleline from a special rule, like Noise Marines, is not listed here as it does not have the keyword intrinsically.

  • Cultist Mob: Cheap, shitty, and now no longer limited by arbitrary rules for Mere Mortals. These are units you leave on an objective point in your deployment zone and never care about for the rest of the game. They have a few minor guns they can use to defend themselves, but don’t bother kitting them for melee because they can’t take a punch at T3, Sv6, and a 7+ leadership making Dark Pacts more of a gamble than any other unit. It is probably a good idea to have a dark commune leading them just so they don’t die as quickly.
  • Legionaries: As the frontliners of your forces, they deservedly get plenty of variety in weapons, with so many guns they don't all even fit on the card. Among the ones more unique to the unit is the Balefire Tome, which used to make the unit psychic but now just gives a rather basic 18" A2 S5 AP-1 gun.
    • While they're plenty useful at range, their Veterans of the Long War ability strangely only lets them re-roll 1s to wound in melee (or re-roll all wounds if they're on an objective). Part of the issue is that they've undergone the great consolidation of weapons, now stuck with either their S4 CCWs or Chainswords if they want an extra attack and AP-1, with the sergeant having the option for an S5 AP-2 Accursed Weapon instead of the variety of power weapons. You can also take an S8 AP-2 D2 Heavy Melee weapon in case you have the heavy chainaxe from the more recent Legionaries box.

The Lost and the Damned

You can have up to 25% of your points be imported Battleline units from World Eaters, Death Guard, or Thousand Sons, and you modify their faction keyword on the way in. Note that you do not modify their Faction rule, which means any imported units below will get your Detachment rule but not your Faction rule (i.e. they will not get Dark Pacts, and instead will have to function with no Faction rule).

  • Khorne Berzerkers:
  • Plague Marines:
  • Rubric Marines:

Infantry

  • Accursed Cultists: Slightly tougher cultists with a 6+++ FNP and OC2 for... some reason... Look, the only reason you're using these is because they're easy resurrectable fodder. It doesn't matter whether you sacrifice some of the puny mutants or the slightly stronger torments, you can resurrect them provided that they can hide for a bit.
  • Chaos Terminator Squad: Benefits from the new termie profile with an improved invulnerable save of 4++, though where the loyalist Terminators gain much from having attached characters, these guys don't benefit nearly as much. What they do get, is Despoilers: Each time a Dark Pact is made for the unit, re-roll a hit roll of 1. Ideally they should be marked with Nurgle if you're footslogging them, preferably with an autocannon and combi-weapons in the squad in order to benefit from both [Sustained Hits 1] and [Devastating Wounds]. If you wish to Deep Strike them, then Khorne may be the way to go, thanks to [Lethal Hits] from their powerfists and chainfist.
  • Chosen: Chaos Marine Sternguard with a schizophrenic loadout and not much else. 2 per 5 can take combi-weapons, 1 can take a power fist but cannot replace their boltgun when they do, 2 can take plasma pistols instead of bolt pistols, and one can forgo all ranged weapons to take a set of paired accursed weapons. Admittedly, they have a great unit ability in Chosen Marauders, which lets them shoot and charge whenever they advance or fall back, but with such an anemic loadout you'll find it challenging to find a place for them in your army, especially since many units contribute far more.
    • Perhaps the best use for them might be to load them up with accursed weapons, partner them up with a Master of Possession & Exalted Champion, and use them as a MEQ grinder. When you have actual Possessed for that, or heck, even Warp Talons who do murdering much better, you might as well not bother.
  • Fellgor Beastmen: Gallowfall's newest kill team. While a bit tougher and stronger than any mere cultist, they are still OC1. This unit has strong preference to get into fights, as the entire squad only gets pistols except for the Shaman's Staff, and that offers nothing but a psychic weapon. In melee, meanwhile, the squad gets a +2 to charge rolls when charging enemies on objectives and you can pick up a very powerful great weapon to kill a couple MEQ on the way.
  • Havocs: Your versatile devastator marines. Their Stabilization Talons ability lets them ignore all modifiers to hit rolls or ballistic skill when firing their weapons, which is nice and lets you bully fliers or other folks with -1 to hit. Their weapons can be fired on the move due to the lack of [Heavy] at full ballistic skill, so feel free to reposition them if you need it. As for weapons, each Havoc can take any heavy weapon available, apart from the champ who's locked to either special weapons or melee. Their loadout should be focused around what you need to use them for (lascannons for anti-vehicle and monster, autocannons for pasting termies and light vehicles, and the heavy bolter or chaincannon for hordes and MEQs). The missile launcher is still the same jack of all trades and master of none, with the autocannon roughly approaching their krak profile with more consistency. They can be led by a Warpsmith, though he provides no specific benefit to them.
  • Noise Marines:
  • Obliterators: Something of a sidegrade from their previous incarnation, they retain the variable profile for their Fleshmetal Guns, they gained the ability to take marks, they can be taken in squads of 2-4, and they lose their ability to shoot into combat, which is replaced with something arguably better in Warp Rift Bombardment: Making a Dark Pact lets this unit gain the [Indirect Fire] ability for all their guns. Incredibly useful for all kinds of situations, this makes Obliterators into a versatile threat on the board. They didn't lose out on melee punch either, so don't be afraid to charge them into stuff.
    • Skinshift is the stratagem you'll want to remember for these guys, with Tzeentch-marked Oblits reviving a model on full wounds whenever this stratagem is used on them.
  • Possessed: They can take icons now, which is fantastic since Dark Pact is nuts on them. First off you're going to want to mark them as Slaanesh for that sweet, sweet 5+ [Sustained Hits], and then you're going to want to look at their ability, Unholy Bloodshed. This grants them [Devastating Wounds]. After this, feel free to toss them at anything at all, since they'll happily butcher anything smaller than a Leman Russ in melee. Take a Master of Possession to give them a 6+++ and +1 to advance and charge rolls, and consider using Unnatural Swiftness to get advance and charge, just to make sure whatever they're pointed at dies.
    • Alternatively, give them the Chaos Undivided mark and use the Profane Zeal strat on them. This combos well with [Devastating Wounds], with the obvious drawback of losing Slaanesh and advance and charge.
  • Traitor Guardsmen Squad: These cultists get access to some of the fancier guns of the Guard like plasma and snipers. While impressive, their melee output suffers as a result. While they can't perma-cap units like regular cultists, they do get cover when camping on an objective.

Fly

  • Raptors: Spiky assault marines. Their loadout is almost identical to their 9th edition incarnation, and they're quick with a 12" move and can take marks for some much-needed buffs. They're pretty spooky, too, with their Fearsome aura reducing leadership or battle-shock tests by 1 within 6", as well as forcing battle-shock tests during the fight phase with Terrifying Assault. They can take 2 special weapons per squad, and since they're fairly versatile they benefit from all marks, though if you want to run all plasma guns then the rerolls from Chaos Undivided is a natural fit.
  • Warp Talons: Spikier assault marines. They have no ranged ability, but that doesn't matter because their melee is top-notch. Their claws are [Twin-Linked] so you can reroll wounds, and their unit ability forces the enemy to make Desperate Escape tests whenever they try to fall back from combat with them, with battle-shocked units taking a -1 penalty to the tests. They have a nifty 5++ and have a standard 12" move and deep strike, but with no way to gain any buffs to charges they'll struggle to make it into combat. As for marks, Slaanesh is the natural choice for the 5+ [Sustained Hits], and that also lets them benefit from the Unnatural Swiftness stratagem for a much needed ability to charge after advancing.

Beasts

  • Chaos Spawn: Taken out back and shot in the kneecaps after last edition. They only come in units of 2, meaning you'll only ever have 6 in any army list. They get a 5+++ and regain d3 wounds in each player's command phase, but with a save of 4+, 4 wounds each and a toughness of 5 you'll probably end up having them shot off the board depressingly fast. Completely pointless when Possessed exist, just take those and keep these on the shelf at home.

Mounted

  • Chaos Bikers:

Vehicles

  • Chaos Predator Annihilator: Much like the Destructor, using Dark Pact will be instrumental in getting this tank to work, but a Vindicator will outperform it. Its lascannons pack a mighty wallop, and its inbuilt ability Annihilator lets it re-roll damage rolls, which is nice. Marking it with Nurgle lets it gain Sustained Hits 1 on a 5+ after using Dark Pact, which might be the better choice compared to Tzeentch thanks to the high strength of the lascannons. If you choose to equip anything in the pintle mount, don't, since getting close defeats the purpose of lascannons and unlike the Destructor they gain no benefit from the Annihilator's ability.
    • You can use the Skinshift stratagem on this model to recover 3 lost wounds. Keep this in mind if you didn't bring a Warpsmith, though taking him alongside any Predator, or indeed, any vehicle at all, lets them gain an extra d3 in healing and a bonus +1 to hit rolls.
  • Chaos Predator Destructor: Might be worth something with Dark Pact now, but a Vindicator does the same job better. Can swap their heavy bolter sponsons for lascannons, which offers them some flexibility against enemy armor. Their ability, Destructor, lets them improve the AP of their attacks by 1, which will make those pesky marines cry. Inexplicably lacks the [Rapid Fire 2] that the Death Guard Predator Destructor has, though this is likely because of the buffs Dark Pact grants. The most useful pintle weapon, if you choose to take one, is the Havoc Launcher, because it benefits from the Destructor ability and gains a pip of AP, making it effective for combating hordes.
    • Once again, marking them with Tzeentch or Nurgle makes them effective firing platforms, with the former granting them Lethal Hits on a 5+, and the latter providing Sustained Hits 1 on a 5+.
  • Chaos Vindicator: Carries your biggest, baddest gun. Dedicate this bad boy to nurgle and start murdering whatever offends you. Has the Siege Shield ability, which lets you shoot your demolisher cannon within engagement range of enemy units, and you don't suffer the -1 to hit while firing into melee. The downside of this, of course, is that if you're in melee with anything this tank likes to shoot, something's gone very, very wrong.
  • Greater Blight DroneHH Legends: The old FW Blight Drones remain open to you even after the Death Guard split off. While it's stuck with the probe, it does come with the Blight Maw and Blightreaper Cannon for some shooting. Of course, all of this relies on [Lethal Hits] while taking a Dark Pact also for [Sustained Hits 1] makes for some naturally strong synergy.

Transports

  • Chaos Land Raider: The king of Metal Boxes. Much like the loyalist Land Raider, its Soulshatter lascannons fire more often at the expense of not being able to reroll wounds. Has the Assault Ramp ability that lets you charge a unit that disembarks, and it's spacious interior can fit 12 models, with Possessed and Terminators taking up 2 spaces. Much like the Predator Annihilator, giving it the Nurgle mark lets it get Sustained Hits 1, but this, unfortunately, does not benefit its twin heavy bolter. Amusingly, like the Chaos Rhino, you can use the Dark Obscuration stratagem on it to stop it from being shot at outside of 12" so long as you gave it the Nurgle mark.
  • Dreadclaw Drop PodHH Legends:
  • Kharybdis Assault ClawHH Legends:

Walkers

  • Defiler:
  • Forgefiend: Has weapon options, but assuming you pay attention to the rules, it'll always have 1 ectoplasma cannon and 2 autocannons - both with Devastating Wounds. You'll also be constantly Dark Pacting for Sustained Hits 1, so make sure your trio of these have a Warpsmith babysitter.
  • Helbrute: An absolutely critical piece of your Tzeentch/Nurgle army, this dude has a 6" aura letting everyone in it (including him) get both Dark Pact benefits at once, not just one.
  • Maulerfiend: The big lizard is back, baby. He's kept his Siege Crawler ability, letting him ignore modifiers to his move, advance and charge rolls, as well as letting him reroll advances and charges. His Magma Cutters have a standard Multi-Melta profile with a tiny 6" range, so you'll probably never use them. The real meat is with the Lasher Tendrils, which gain the Extra Attacks ability, allowing you to swing them in addition to his big, meaty fists, which hit like S14 lascannons in melee with 6 attacks. The Slaanesh mark is is beneficial thanks to [Sustained Hits 1] and the Unnatural Swiftness strat, and the Chaos Undivided mark will let him reroll hits, and with the stratagem, all hits and wounds.
    • You could give it a mark of Khorne to make its melee attacks very lethal while giving it a 3+ to fight on death. It might not make it easier to get into the fray, but it will definitely not fail you when you’re rolling 2 melee profiles with 12 total dice during each fight phase.
  • Venomcrawler: This guy has gotten a bit of a glow up, with its Excruciator Cannons now getting 6 shots each with a decent anti MEQ profile at S6, -1 AP and 2D. In addition, it hits in melee with his Soulflayer Tendrils with the same profile. Where it really shines, though, is the ability it gets: Soul Eater. This nifty number lets it add 1 to all attacks it makes with its weapons when it kills a unit. All weapons. Kill a unit at range and get 1 bonus attack on your guns, for a total of 14 shots! Mark it with the Tzeentch mark and you wound anything on a 5+ with Dark Pact! Mark it with Slaanesh and use Unnatural Swiftness for 1 CP on it, and you don't even have to worry about the lack of [Assault]! What's more, it's got a movement of 12" and a defensive profile of a Rhino, with a 5++ thrown into the bargain. Treat it as a marine-blending torpedo and it should get the job done.
    • There are a few drawbacks to this guy, however. He doesn't buff psychic at all, compared to previous editions (though with the psychic keyword looking increasingly more and more like a liability this might not be a bad thing), and is of little use against heavier vehicles or monsters that will more than likely eat him for lunch.
    • It is uncertain whether or not this unit will keep the 6 shot Excruciator Cannon, seeing as how it has double the shots of its 9th edition incarnation. If it is intended, then the point cost for this unit is likely to increase dramatically compared to what it was previously.
  • Blood SlaughtererHH Legends:
  • DecimatorHH Legends:
  • Deredeo DreadnoughtHH Legends: The Dreadnought to use if you just want to shoot, this dread can re-roll to hit enemies above half-strength. Each of their arm-guns are paired with specific purposes - the Anvilus Autocannons demolish crowds, the Arachnus Heavy Lascannons to demolish tanks, the Hellfire Plasma Cannonade to blast apart TEQs and the Volkite Falconets to burn through high toughness monsters. You can also pick up one of two different missiles, one capable of handling crowds while the other lets you easily break flyers.
  • Greater Brass ScorpionHH Legends:
  • Relic Contemptor DreadnoughtHH Legends: The dreadnought to take if you want something that just refuses to die. Comes with all the fun guns you've ever wanted in melee or at range, curiously starting out with twin plasma cannons. Your fists and chainfists come with combi-bolters with the heavy flamer option also adding in options for plasma blasters to easily crack MEQs and the graviton blaster to annoy vehicles. You can also strap a cyclone missile launcher for additional firepower.
  • Leviathan DreadnoughtHH Legends: The end of any tanks or monsters you see. The Cyclonic Melta Lance can easily rip through monsters and tanks all the same while the Grav-Flux Bombard gives you more reliable ways of damaging tanks at the cost of effectiveness. The Storm Cannon exists if you're up against any hordes. You can also grab a claw or drill, the difference really only being that the drill has one less attack for [Anti-Vehicle 4+], otherwise they're both almost identical and carry meltas.

Dedicated Transports

  • Chaos Rhino: The standard Rhino, with extra spikes. Has all the abilities of the loyalist Rhino, with one critical difference: it doesn't have [Firing Deck]. This extremely bizarre decision means that there are very few things you'd actually want to put into this, and unless it gets FAQed, you're stuck with a Rhino that's worse than the loyalist (or death guard) one.

Aircraft

  • Heldrake: A terrifying model that stalks the skies of the battlefield and ensures the sky belongs to you. Its guns are nothing special, but its Heldrake Claws hit on a 2+ against flying models and comes with Devastating Wounds and Anti-Fly 2+, turning its S7 AP-1 D2 into mortal wounds on anything with that Fly Keyword. It may be a bit fragile at T9, 12 Wounds with a -1 at a third of its health, but anything that is targeted by this fearsome flyer will be dropped to the ground bloodied and battered. Eldar vehicles beware, especially when the slaaneshi heldrake gets a lot of fives.
  • Chaos ThunderhawkHH Legends:

Titanic

  • Khorne Lord of Skulls:
  • Kytan RavagerHH Legends:

Fortifications

  • Noctilith Crown: A large shield generator for your heretics, as they all get a 4++ save within 9" of it on top of all the other benefits of hiding behind it. It curiously has some token weapon in some ambient warp energy lashing out, but it's too short-ranged to matter for anything unless you've got peopled fighting around it.

Tactics

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