Daboarder's Chaos Terminator List Tactics

[daboarder]

G'Day all,

Today I would like to present to you the start a series of articles that cover the how's the to's and the what's of running a chaos space marine terminator list, both bound and unbound.
Now the first thing to do is define what I am talking about when I say "terminator list". For the purpose of these articles I am talking about a list that runs almost no power armour and is based around a core of Chaos space marine Terminator squads.
So what do I determine a chaos terminator list to include? It should include the hardest, toughest, most brutish equipment available to us, the true shock and awe game style. Obviously anything in terminator armour, but we are chaos and that is far from the end of the such a conversation so I am going to break the units I will discuss into "Core" "Optional/Special" and "Obscure" categories. These will discuss units based on how relevant I feel they are to the general theme of such a list. I will include a short justification for why I think each unit fits the theme.

The Core units:

Chaos Space Marine Terminators: Obvious

Lords and Sorcerers in terminator armour: Again obvious

Obliterators: Let's be honest, these are giant corrupted terminator heavy support options and their rules reflect that with their 2+/5++ saves and Slow and Purposeful.

Mutilators: Like the Obliterators but the Choppy variant. Myself, I have always kinda thought of these guys as the Chaos equivalent of Grey Knight Paladins or Space wolf Lone Wolves, Exalted Aspiring Champions, one step below the Lords of the host.

Helbrutes: Dreadnoughts have always gone hand in hand with the terminator concept, therefore it should come as no surprise that they fit into the Chaos variant of that concept as well.

Land Raider: Like the Dreadnought the Land Raider is also synonymous with the Terminator List concept.

Thats a pretty solid core of options for any Terminator themed list, hell Death wing players would probably sell a kidney (someone else's of course) just to have heavy support terminator options, (though I'd probably trade them for a pod option for my brutes or a land raider that I could put 7 Terminators in.) But it's not the be all and end all of units that fit into a terminator list available to Chaos.


Optional/Special:
So now we have what I deem the "optional" Units that I feel fit the theme but aren't necessary to it and can be included or ignored depending on the background concept the individual is intending to craft.

Heldrakes: Not only is this thing pretty brutal (even with the turret nerf) but it is also basically one of the toughest fliers in the game, and only got tougher this edition. To me the Heldrake has always been reminiscent of the A-10 Warthog, and if any flier could be said to embody the theme of a terminator list and the principles of Shock and Awe it's this beautiful son of a *****.

Fiends: Like the heldrake these guys are brutally tough models with their 5++ invuls and IWND. Furthermore they operate as a platform for some of our biggest guns/Punches, again that kinda screams shock and awe to me.

Defiler: A helbrute on roids (or daemonic essence but whatever) Like all the daemon engines I fill that this model fits well into the concept of what I can see Chaos Terminator lists marching to war alongside.

Decimator: What more needs to be said?

Special Characters in Terminator armour: Much like the ordinary characters, any special character rocking terminator armour would fit well into this theme.

Obscure:
This category is going to cover units that might not appear to readily fit the theme, but in my opinion can be used to really emphasize the difference between a Chaos Terminator force and an Imperial one.

Cultists: Ever read the Word Bearer books? well one of the strongest images that book gave me was the idea of a horde of cultists assaulting a loyalist position. at the peak of the battle the Chaos Space Marines show up in their terminator plate to drive home the hammer blow. I can really see chaos forces supplementing their Shock assaults with cultist waves for a number of reasons, ranging from sacrifice, obscurement or just because they feel that the cultists deserve to die.

Zombies: Like the above but instead with a distinctly Nurgle idea., Spread the Rot!

2+/++ Characters: This is where the definition of terminator gets pretty vague. See because GW has decided in their infinite wisdom that we CANNOT have actual options for our support HQ's none of them have access to terminator armour (but its balance or something like that isnt it
However if we are a little liberal with our imagination and take the appropriate items we can make "Psuedo" Terminators, wargear combinations that can be easily represented by a model in terminator armour. such as a Warpsmith with and invul save, or a Dark Apostle with the Daemonheart. These options and few other such obscure ideas will be discussed in this section.

Thank you for reading my intro, please check back in a few days to see the first entry, Chaos Terminato Squads.

[Caitsidhe]

I've never been a fan of trying to run CSM Terminator armies because our Termies, sadly, are usually quite inferior per cost to the Imperial version. The issue is the lack of access to Storm Shields (for one thing). I'm keen to run some Fallen Termies (all Chaos'd up) via an allied Detachment. That is a horse of a different color.

In general I use three man Termicide units, stripped down and loaded only with Combi-Melta upgrades. Still, with 7th Edition, I'm willing to look at the possibilities again (particularly with that allied detachment of thematic Termies I can include). One advantage that CSM Terminators can apply is guaranteed Infiltrate on at least 1 (D3) unit. A unit of Terminators in a dedicated Land Raider which has been infiltrated forward on to a Skyshield to provide it the 4+ Invulnerable save has an excellent chance of delivering its cargo to a 1st Turn (assuming you go second) Assault. Your Warlord pretty much has to be Huron in this case.

Given the Meta I would still want plenty of Combi-Meltas in there due to the Super Heavies. I might even load up on Chain Fists. A Heavy Flamer would be nice too. The issue, of course, is the necessity of getting into combat fast or get blasted off the board by volume of fire. The Mark of Nurgle seems the most effective to me. If you were gearing up for the 1st Turn assault, the Dimensional Key stuck on an HQ in the Land Raider could ensure that the rest of your reserves (if you wanted to go with a bunch more Termies) all hit with pinpoint accuracy.

There are a lot of gambles in such a list, although I think you can minimize a fair amount. The problem for CSM, as always, is cost. A Land Raider stacked with Termies and an HQ and launched from a Skyshield is not cheap. Your Warlord will be Huron (who is a bargain) but you will want one of your combined arms detachments to be bringing Be'Lakor so you have the option of making key units invisible. Your Termies will NEED that edge if they have to fight opposing Terminators. Sad but true.

[daboarder]

I've never been a fan of trying to run CSM Terminator armies because our Termies, sadly, are usually quite inferior per cost to the Imperial version. The issue is the lack of access to Storm Shields (for one thing). I'm keen to run some Fallen Termies (all Chaos'd up) via an allied Detachment. That is a horse of a different color.

I actually disagree. I think our terminators are far better suited to being used as the core for a themed list, and in general better off than the loyalist variants. I will elaborate more when I do the in depth post, but our terminators are far more points efficient than the opponents ones, even taking into account the lack or fearless.

Simple example: For the price of 5 loyalist terminators with a cyclone missile launcher, I can get 7 Nurgle terminators, that isn't much for a single squad sure, but take that into account over an army (say 3 terminator squads) thats an extra 6 terminators.
Furthermore as you can see above we have access to more support options that also fit the theme than loyalists and that makes a HUGE difference. To us terminators are the meat but to loyalists they must necessarily be the whole meal.

[Caitsidhe]

Well I will read what you post and consider it. I've made many attempts at using CSM Termies over the years (I own a lot of them due to trades) and found that time and time again that they just die in droves. The best we can get is a 4+ Invulnerable save (and that is going Tzentch of course) which simply can't compare to a 2+/3+ our opponents get. When fighting Imperial Terminators they simply lose time and time again. Against normal ranks and file their inferior Invul save kills them to volume of special fire. I'll keep an open mind and I hope you do demonstrate something different I haven't thought of or tried.

[Captain Bubonicus]

Well I will read what you post and consider it. I've made many attempts at using CSM Termies over the years (I own a lot of them due to trades) and found that time and time again that they just die in droves. The best we can get is a 4+ Invulnerable save (and that is going Tzentch of course) which simply can't compare to a 2+/3+ our opponents get. When fighting Imperial Terminators they simply lose time and time again. Against normal ranks and file their inferior Invul save kills them to volume of special fire. I'll keep an open mind and I hope you do demonstrate something different I haven't thought of or tried.

^^^This.

[DaveTycho]

Here is my opinion of Chaos Termie weapon load outs: combi-weapons; an even mix of combi-flamers and combi-meltas for taking on all comers. If you can't get an even mix, have meltas the majority. Close combat weapons should be at least (in 5 man teams, in 10 men teams double this) one power fist, one chain fist; the rest should be armed with POWER SWORDS. Power axes and mauls are useless in this case and I'll tell you why. Everything you can do with axes/mauls you can do better with fists. If Chaos Termies couldn't field several fists on the cheap then axes/mauls would be fine. As it stands with the swords and fists combo you can have the sword guys strike at their normal I value and kill some guys, hopefully with random allocation or careful deployment take the brunt of the wounds and the fist guys then finish off everyone else. Basically what made Chaos Termies great in combat pre 6th ed before you realised that you need to chop off your axes/mauls from your models just to make them good again. Power axes are a poor mans power fist and since, like I said, Chaos Termies can field many fists for a cheap +7pts, why would you not fists? Mauls are interesting, giving Termies st6 attacks at I4 with concussive. The problem is that a Terminator isn't worth it if it's not wielding a CC weapon that negates power armour, which the maul can't. Also while the concussive could give the unit the edge against monsters, usually said monster would have already struck before the maul Termie gets his shots in, and usually said monster would have at least a 3+ as well compared to the maul's AP4. The sword and fist combo is, I feel, the only one worth a damn, which is annoying since the box doesn't include any sword arms!
You could go with lighting claws instead of swords, which is actually not that bad considering they're +3pts, but that means sourcing up lighting claw arms from somewhere. Heavy weapons can depend on personal taste, although heavy flamers are good if you want lots of combi-meltas. If you have 10 man teams then one heavy flamer and one reaper auto cannon is fine. With Termie Champs, it's probably one of the few times I'd consider giving a Champ a power fist as 2+/5++ saves would keep him alive in a challenge long enough to fight back. Marks of Chaos and VotLW are players discretion, but for me it's Mark of Khorne just because I like him

[Denzark]

I like the idea of an all Terminator force and actually, had not considered Mutilators and Obliterators in this mix - I think this is pretty cool. Whilst I see where DAB is going with 'Heldrake = A-10 therefore is terminator hard' I think a purist would stick to just walking bodies or dedicated terminator transports.

So, no drakes, zombies or any of that gash. Every boot on the ground should be 2+/5++. Vehicles - LR, and I believe Chaos has a Spartan entry so you wouldn't need to go unbound? To stray slightly from theme, a Chaos Storm Raven can get them places quickly, and further from field a Caestus if you go unbound.

You need to consider strengths - so Khorne - mass attacks. Best with power fists. Slaanesh - I5. So best with Lightning Claws. Nurgle - T5. I'd probably only give this to Oblits. Tzeentch for extra invuln I am not convinced is worth it.

Remember you can get fearless from the Lord and, if he is Nurgle, he can't be instagibbed by less than S10, and also can take the excellent Blight grenades - meaning the attackers find it commensurately harder.

Staying in Force Org, you can ally with Black legion and get some uber-terminators - WS/BS 5.

Also bear in mind we talk of 3 man drop and pop - but what about DSing mass 10 man Squads with Combi Plasma/Melta? points heavy but if you are going pure terminator then this will be epic...

[daboarder]

I like the idea of an all Terminator force and actually, had not considered Mutilators and Obliterators in this mix - I think this is pretty cool. Whilst I see where DAB is going with 'Heldrake = A-10 therefore is terminator hard' I think a purist would stick to just walking bodies or dedicated terminator transports.

So, no drakes, zombies or any of that gash. Every boot on the ground should be 2+/5++. Vehicles - LR, and I believe Chaos has a Spartan entry so you wouldn't need to go unbound? To stray slightly from theme, a Chaos Storm Raven can get them places quickly, and further from field a Caestus if you go unbound.

You need to consider strengths - so Khorne - mass attacks. Best with power fists. Slaanesh - I5. So best with Lightning Claws. Nurgle - T5. I'd probably only give this to Oblits. Tzeentch for extra invuln I am not convinced is worth it.

Remember you can get fearless from the Lord and, if he is Nurgle, he can't be instagibbed by less than S10, and also can take the excellent Blight grenades - meaning the attackers find it commensurately harder.

Staying in Force Org, you can ally with Black legion and get some uber-terminators - WS/BS 5.

Also bear in mind we talk of 3 man drop and pop - but what about DSing mass 10 man Squads with Combi Plasma/Melta? points heavy but if you are going pure terminator then this will be epic...

Yeah forgot about the spartan, unfortunately though the latest rules suffer from chaos syndrome, it has the same spaz load-out as the normal land raider, Oh and because it doesnt have PotMS, it gets a 20 pts discount.....**** GW/FW

[Archaeinox]

daboarder, I'm just stopping in to say that this is a great writeup and I generally like most of your explanations of things all over the interwebs. I'm Phosis, I think we've had some discussion on Natfka's blog whenever Chaos rumors pop up.

I would like to add something, only because I use 5 Terminators every game for months, to go with Ahriman. Combi-plasma terminators with Axes (I have little tomb kings halberds for mine) are fine models to use for the points cost and I can always find a use for them regardless of opponent. The only thing that sucks is if a dread charges them.. but since anyone can take a Level 3 sorcerer with no Mark, there is a good chance that you can just move them around with Gate of Infinity so that not having a means to kill a walker is no biggie (for the most part).

Cheers bud!

[daboarder]

daboarder, I'm just stopping in to say that this is a great writeup and I generally like most of your explanations of things all over the interwebs. I'm Phosis, I think we've had some discussion on Natfka's blog whenever Chaos rumors pop up.

I would like to add something, only because I use 5 Terminators every game for months, to go with Ahriman. Combi-plasma terminators with Axes (I have little tomb kings halberds for mine) are fine models to use for the points cost and I can always find a use for them regardless of opponent. The only thing that sucks is if a dread charges them.. but since anyone can take a Level 3 sorcerer with no Mark, there is a good chance that you can just move them around with Gate of Infinity so that not having a means to kill a walker is no biggie (for the most part).

Cheers bud!

Cheers mate. Much appreciated.

Honesy comments lkke these and the others here are the reason I enjoy posting articles. Furthermore I think they highlight how varied peoples thoughts on chaos armies can be. And I find that a little I timidating whe I think about puttinh that info into a aingle post.

Expect the first post on terminators to go up some time today