Editing Warhammer 40,000/9th Edition Tactics/Chaos Space Marines (section)

==Faction Keywords==

The main keywords you have to keep track of for Chaos Marines are {{Template:W40kKeyword|TRAITORIS ASTARTES}}; {{Template:W40kKeyword|<LEGION>}} which include all the units regarding a particular Legion or Warband.

'''However''', do keep in mind that you can't give the {{W40kKeyword|DEATH GUARD}}, {{W40kKeyword|WORLD EATERS}} or {{W40kKeyword|THOUSAND SONS}} legion keyword since they're no longer part of the Codex. So you can't have {{W40kKeyword|DEATH GUARD}} bikes, and you can't have {{W40kKeyword|THOUSAND SONS}} Warptalons, for example.The fact that both legions now have their own subfactions to focus on just drives home this point further. If you're really desperate to emulate them, just go do it. Using this codex to emulate them isn't going to work since you can't make any of the cult marines into troops. You can however (probably) soup Chaos Marine unit's with there Legion codex's. That depends on if the various marks' of Chaos give the god keyword as a faction keyword. Alternately you could build a Heretic Astartes Detachment that was also a soup of the Various units that have that faction keyword. However in both case the Death Guard, Thousand Son and Presumably World Eaters unit's along with the generic Choas space marines would lose all there monofaction bonus and objective secured, while also locking you out of cultists.

On top of that, you also need to pay attention to the {{Template:W40kKeyword|HERETIC ASTARTES}} (for your CSM), {{Template:W40kKeyword|CULTISTS}}, {{W40kKeyword|DAEMONKIN}} (for the Possessed, Oblits and Warp Talons) and {{W40kKeyword|DAEMON ENGINE}} keywords.


It is worth pointing out that some of these sub armies are happy working along side there generic cousins: Death Guard for example don't have Deadly Pathogens turn off just by having allied detachment the way Sisters of Battle Acts of Faith turn off if not every unit in your army has the correct keyword. So if you must have Deathguard Bikers, just bring a detachment of bikers marked with Nurgle, and don't mention that the legion there actually using is not Death Guard.
 
<big>Special Character Note</big>

There are several Forgeworld characters (Arkos, Zhufor, and Necrosius) that have two Faction Keywords: the parent Legion and the warband they are part of. In Arkos's case, he has both {{W40kKeyword|ALPHA LEGION}} and {{W40kKeyword|THE FAITHLESS}}, only buffing the latter. The intent seems to be that you can title a warband whatever you want while still being able to select a particular Legion tactic. So if you wanted to field a Faithless army, you'd give all your units the {{W40kKeyword|THE FAITHLESS}} keywords and pick the Alpha Legion tactic.

Also note that if you're looking for a Legion-specific character like Kharn or Lucius, you'll find them under the World Eaters and Emperor's Children entries in their respective Legions.

===Marks of Chaos===
The Marks were always a bit of a middle-spot between wargear and keywords for your forces, and this edition especially sees that. Now taking a mark doesn't only cost 15 points, but it also bumps up the unit's Power Level by 1 (which only matters for Strategic Reserves). Each grants you a passive bonus, a keyword that lets you benefit from various God-specific buffs (namely two Stratagems, a Spell all marked psykers automatically know, and one Prayer), and unlocks your Icon's main bonus - Icons are depressingly rare now. Marks only go on {{W40kKeyword|Core}} and {{W40kKeyword|Character}} units, which are mostly Infantry and Bikes, but a Dreadnought can get one too.

*{{W40kKeyword|CHAOS UNDIVIDED}}: The default option. Offers nothing but a keyword to replace. Said keyword is only ever used to take a meh Daemon weapon and use one meh Stratagem, so not really an option at all.

*{{W40kKeyword|KHORNE}}: +1 Strength in melee on the turn you charge, get charged, or heroically intervene. Going up from S4 to S5 is usually very nice. The God-Strats are moderately useful, though you can no longer fight twice with them.
**You might've guessed this, but no, you can't put this mark on any {{W40kKeyword|PSYKERS}} you have. {{W40kKeyword|PRIESTS}} can take it, but nothing is stopping a Tzeentch-aligned Sorceror from buffing your Khornates.
**RAW could mean that this strength bonus applies to melee weapons with preset strength characteristics.

*{{W40kKeyword|NURGLE}}: Attacks against a marked unit with a Strength equal to or at least double the unit's Toughness are -1 to-wound, which slightly reduces the impact of handheld weapons like bolters, but also MEQ grinders like plasma, melta, and Battle/Demolisher Cannons. Nurgle Strats are great - becoming untargetable and/or getting Transhuman is nice for objective holders.

*{{W40kKeyword|TZEENTCH}}: The first failed saving throw for a marked unit each turn deals 0 damage, letting you shrug off massive blows like lascannons and meltas. 'Each turn' means twice per round, your turn and enemy turn. The God-Strats are very situational.
**If you want durability, go Nurgle. Savvy players will shoot you with boltgun equivalents to render the Mark useless, so the mark is only worth it with the accompanying Icon, or for Characters who can avoid being shot at. 

*{{W40kKeyword|SLAANESH}}: Marked units always fight first. Sounds quite abusable. The God-Strats are too fiddly for their own good.
**In case you've forgotten, the {{W40kKeyword|EMPEROR'S CHILDREN}} must take this mark on any unit that can take it, which is quite costly.

===Icons of Chaos===
Only available to legionaries (which include noise marines and khorne berzerkers), chosen, possessed and bikes. If you're going through the effort of getting these units a mark (except the last one) you might as well spend the 5 points to give them an icon as well.

*{{W40kKeyword|Icon}} of Chaos: This is what you buy when you get the Icon Keyword. +1 to combat attrition tests. Not worth it on its own, but when you buy a mark, it's automatically upgraded.
*{{W40kKeyword|KHORNE}}: A unit with this {{W40kKeyword|Icon}} improves their melee weapon's AP by 1.
*{{W40kKeyword|NURGLE}}: A unit with this {{W40kKeyword|Icon}} auto-wound on 6 to hit for ranged attacks.
*{{W40kKeyword|TZEENTCH}}: A unit with this {{W40kKeyword|Icon}} improves their ranged weapon's AP by 1.
*{{W40kKeyword|SLAANESH}}: A unit with this {{W40kKeyword|ICON}} gets +1 to hit in melee.

These can be put on '''any''' model in the unit, so put it on what you deem the most important, be it the Sergeant, heavy weapons gunner or the Balefire psyker.