Editing Warhammer 40,000/8th Edition Tactics/Thousand Sons (section)

====Forge World====

NOTE - Hellforged Vehicles are particularly awkward in '''Thousand Sons''' armies. When they explode they do d3 mortal wounds to nearby units, except for Psykers, who take d6 mortal wounds instead. That even includes basic Rubrics. Ouch.

*'''Chaos Decimator''' - 8th edition has shown our favourite pseudo-dreadnought some real love. Movement is 10" with WS 3+ BS 3+, S7, T7, W8, A5, SV 3+ 5++ with no degeneration as wounds go down. You regenerate a wound at the start of each of your turns, and still gain +1 attack even if you drop a melee weapon (thanks FAQ). It still has all of its old weapon load-outs while sadly losing its cool flamer special rule from 7e. Stock Claw is +2S AP-3 D3 with a Hellflamer doing Heavy D6 S5 AP-1 D2 Auto Hits. The Decimator Storm Laser is as you would expect from last edition, 24" Assault 5 S6 AP-2 D1. The once horrible Soulburner Petard now has some real use with 24" Assault 2D3 S- AP0 D1, causing auto MORTAL wounds on successful hits, while to hit rolls of 1 cause Mortal wounds to the Decimator. It states that you cannot take more than 1 mortal wound a turn via this rule, so you are fairly safe using it due to your regeneration. Butcher Cannon is still reliable with 36" Heavy 4 S8 AP-1 D2 causing -2 LD to enemy unit should a casualty be sustained. C-beam Cannon has also gotten some new life, 72" Heavy 1 S6 Ap-3 D3, you gain +2S and +D3 for every 24" you are away from the target, AND if the enemy suffers a casualty due to your original shot, the same unit suffers 2D6 additional S6 AP0 D1 damage. Overall the Decimator handled the transition to 8th nicely and are more attractive now than they were in 7th even with the lack of Deep Strike capabilities.
**Note that despite visual similarities to Helbrutes and Dreadnoughts, the Chaos Decimator does not have the {{Template:W40kKeyword|HELBRUTE}} keyword.
*'''Hellforged Contemptor Dreadnought''' - S7 T7 W10 A4 Sv 3+ (though we can take more of these 'relics' than imperials can), the Contemptor remains as good as it ever was. It has a huge amount of options with your typical Fist (Deathclaw) and Chainfist (Chainclaw) available, as well as some of the more Chaotic choices. New to the menu is the Kheres Assault Cannon which the Chaos Warpsmiths finally found a working version of. As of the FAQ you can now go double guns, should you feel the need - though the melee potential is wasted if you do. Butcher Cannon (36" Heavy 4, S8 AP-1 D2,  causes a LD -2 debuff on enemy units that it has inflicted casualties on) and the Kheres Assault Cannon are attractive choices. On a 5+ it eats an enemy it killed in melee for healing a wound, it has a 5++ against shooting and Overwatch with a 4++ in melee. A solid choice that is a natural step up from your standard Helbrutes. Just keep it away from, well, most your army due to the Containment Breach rule, which punishes regular units with d3 mortal wounds within 6" and Psykers within 6" with D6 mortal wounds instead.
**FW FAQ: Now the Contemptor can replace both arms for ranged weapons if you so wish, and you can take an Havoc Launcher too.
**Also per the FAQ, Chaos Dreads have the Helbrute keyword.
*'''Hellforged Predator''' - Confused to see this in the elites slot? So is everyone else! Anyway, it's a Predator that's an elite with some extra rules and guns. Standard Pred weapons with the ability to choose Flamestorm Cannons (8" Heavy 2D6 S5 AP-1 D2 Flamer), Magna-melta Cannon (24" Heavy D3 S10 AP-4 D6, roll extra dice if in 1/2 range), C-beam Cannon (72" Heavy 1 S6 AP-3 D3, +2S & +D3 for every 24" between shooter and target, causes 2d6 S6 AP0 1D additional hits if you kill a model with your first shot), and Plasma Destroyer (36" Heavy 2D3, S7 AP-3 D2). Can eat people in melee to regain one wound on a 5+, causes D3 additional attacks when it successfully charges, also has the Containment Breach rule, which punishes regular units with d3 mortal wounds within 6" and Psykers within 6" with D6 mortal wounds instead. It's a fine choice if you feel the need to have those special weapons on a Pred platform. The damage charts for this and other Hellforged tanks are distinctive in that they actually get better in melee the more injured they get, meaning the more you need some wounds repaired the more likely you'll be able to eat some, although your movement does suffer so it gets less able to get into melee.
** Note that the extra damage to your own Psykers from a Containment Breach is pretty bad in a '''Thousand Sons''' army. You're better off taking the cheaper Predator from the codex.
** If kitted with Flamers this tank becomes a pseudo-hellhound. Take heavy flamer sponsors to intensify this and throwing out 4D6 auto-hits at 8" at -1 AP D1/D2. Most people won't want to charge it either.
** Thanks to the FAQ 2019, you can't use Killshot with Hellforged Predators
*'''Hellforged Sicaran''' - An even bigger vehicle in the elites slot? No it's not the Warp-dust kicking in, this is real life. The Sicaran is still a beast at T7 W14 3+, but as always we take it for its main weapon. The Twin Accelerator Autocannon is kicking at 48", Assault 8 S7 AP-1 D2, No penalty to shoot at FLY and every wound of 6 is jumped up to AP-3. It can move 14" between 7-14 wounds; letting you fly around the board shooting those Autocannons on 3+ (remember, it's assault, not heavy), ouch! Can eat people in melee on a 5+ to regain a wound, and has the Containment Breach rule, which punishes regular units with d3 mortal wounds within 6" and Psykers within 6" with D6 mortal wounds instead.