Topic: [1850] Chaos Marines & Gorepack

[MagicJuggler]

Since I skipped out on 6th, I missed the memo about Rhinos no longer being in vogue due to being reasonably killable. I had been trying to put together a reasonably tough Chaos Marine army that didn't default to minimum cultists since 7th hit...and feel this may be a start. Main thing now is making time to test and tweak.

==Chaos CAD== 

=HQ= 
• Khorne Lord on Juggernaut w/ Axe of Blind Fury, Sigil of Corruption, Gift of Mutation- 180 

=Troops= 
• 5 Marines w/ VoTLW, 1 Meltagun, Champ has Combi-Melta - 100 
   • Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40 
• 5 Marines w/ VoTLW, 1 Meltagun, Champ has Combi-Melta - 100 
   • Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40 
• 5 Marines w/ VoTLW, 1 Meltagun, Champ has Combi-Melta - 100 
   • Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40 
• 5 Marines w/ VoTLW, 1 Meltagun, Champ has Combi-Melta - 100 
   • Rhino w/ Dozer Blade - 40 

=Elites= 
• 5 Chosen, 2 Plasmaguns: 120 
   • Rhino w/ Dozer Blade, Havoc Launcher - 52 

=Heavy Support= 
• 5 Havocs, 2 Plasmaguns, Veterans of the Long War - 110 
   • Rhino w/ Dozer Blade, Havoc Launcher - 52 
• Obliterator w/ MoN - 76 
• Obliterator w/ MoN - 76 

==Daemonkin Gorepack== 
• 3 Bikers w/ MoK, 2 Meltaguns - 96 
• 3 Bikers w/ MoK, 2 Meltaguns - 96 
• 6 Flesh Hounds - 96 
• 7 Flesh Hounds - 112 
• 7 Flesh Hounds - 112 
• 7 Flesh Hounds - 112 

Total: 1850 

The Juggerlord joins the 6-strong unit of Flesh Hounds. The other three units scout.

The Rhino Marines are two teams of 2 melta squads/one plasma squad. The Bikers are sacrificial objective-takers/melta teams that hide behind the Rhinos.

If the list were updated to use Forgeworld, I *could* replace the Oblits with Hades Rapiers and drop some houndd for Hellblades but I am FW-adverse.

[Wyddr]

I think it's generally okay. You've got very little in the way of long-range fire support, but how much that matters is determined by your metagame, somewhat. Certainly this looks like a solid list for Maelstrom of War games (lots of small, mobile, disposable units).

Not personally sold on Gift of Mutation, in general. I guess there isn't much better to spend the points on, anyway.

About Rhinos: they are certainly less survivable than in 5th (where they were way too survivable), but they're hardly deathtraps. The new vehicle damage rules are generally very favorable to the passengers and *most* opponents will struggle to kill or cripple more than two rhinos a turn. Ideally, if you've already moved, your troops are mostly in position, anyway. I would argue that your list has sufficient diversionary targets (the Flesh Hounds and the Lord), that your Rhinos will actually fare fairly well. Taking six of them isn't a bad idea, though. Six dozer blades seems excessive unless you play on terrain-dense boards and often find yourself driving through them. There might be better ways to spend those points.

[MagicJuggler]

I figure for now I like Gift as a bit of a flavor option.

An alternate idea I been considering has is to drop the Gift and Dozers on the Rhinos w/ Havocs. This gives 20 points. I could either swap out the Biker Meltaguns for more plasma (eh), give the Havocs/Chosen 2 flamers each (cute), or so. Or maybe give the Marine Rhinos Dirge Casters.

Maybe drop a Hound and use some points to give out some chainswords.

[Wyddr]

Dirge Casters look cool on paper, but unless you're playing Tau, they won't really be that handy. At least, I used to take a few for a while and they never--not even once--got used. The range is just too short and Rhinos (as mentioned) don't live forever. Besides, I've *rarely* found overwatch to be that big a deal. It's about as inconvenient as dangerous terrain rolls for vehicles (and arguably less so).

I'm also "meh" about more plasma. I do think that taking more special weapons on your Chosen/Havocs isn't a bad idea. They've got the slots and nobody ever missed a few bolters.

Alternate suggestion: I can't recall exactly, but how much is the Mark of Nurgle? T5 is nice, and if you drop all the Dozers and the Gift of Mutation (and maybe the VotLOW, which isn't *that* great), you might be able to make a lot of your infantry a good bit tougher. Just an idea.