Common Chaos Space Marines - Troop choice

[Eberk]

After reading my brand new Chaos Space Marine codex I started pondering about how to best use/equip my common Chaos Space Marines. And to be honest I really don't know.

That's why I ask you guys for information/tactics/...

The way it is you have 3 options: Bolter, 2 close combat weapons or both with a maximum of 20 models per squad.
Problem is that the only transport available is the Rhino (= not an assault vehicle and 10 models transport capacity)

So, what do you guys think are good tactical options to use the common Chaos Marine ?

20 strong with bolters ?? 10 strong with 2 close combat weapons mounted in a Rhino ?? 15 strong with both ?? Or something else ??

And as an added question: Which heavy/special weapons do you use in those squads ? and why ?
(rapid fire Plasma gun and charging your close combat squad don't mix )


Thanks for all your insights and comments/tactics/experiences/...

[Learn2Eel]

Hey mate, I think how you outfit your squads depends on what role you want them to do on a per-squad basis. If you want one squad to sit on an objective, a missile launcher and a plasma gun would be a good bet. For a more aggressive midfield objective grabber, you can give them the second close combat weapon (purely up to you, a ten man squad will pay close to 20 points that could be spent on special weapons) and a mix of plasma guns and meltaguns, sticking them in a rhino.
Personally, I use 10-man squads with a plasma gun and meltagun with just the standard boltgun/pistol loadout in a rhino. They are cheap, durable, mobile and can deal with a wide variety of threats.
There is also the question of your champions' loadout; personally I ignore these unless I feel my squad needs a power fist. However, a champion with the mark of slaanesh and a power sword can be a nasty challenger.

As far as marks go, they are really based on how you view your troops and whether you think the buff will be worth it for their role. For an objective holder, the mark of Nurgle is always a great bet - even for midfield grabbers too. For an aggressive midfield unit, the mark of khorne is also good. The mark of slaanesh can be very handy against other Marine armies too. The icons are situational; feel no pain is great but expensive, fear and soul blaze aren't that useful, and Furious charge/re-roll charge distances are worthwhile only on dedicated melee units.

The best way to figure out what works best is to try a few different combinations. A popular one is the standard marine with the mark of Nurgle for the same cost as a Loyalist marine!

[Blackmonkey0]

I like to let the fluff direct me so my Khorne CSMs are 10men - Poweraxe, Flamer, HvyBolter, 9x CCW, IoV in a Rhino.
May try them with MoK in my next game - but it pushes their price over that of my Zerkers.
Icon is there to keep them hanging around.

[Saint_Anger]

I play Thousand Sons army, so my units always be long-ranged fighters. For Chaos Space Marines squad, I use pretty much the same as Learn2Eel said above except that I use 2 meltaguns. Ten-man squad with 2 meltaguns & rhino is quite durable. If I have some points to spare, I'll add icon of vengeance to make them Fearless.

[Eberk]

Hey, thanks for the info guys.

@Learn2Eel: I deliberatly left out what I planned to do with my squads to receive feedback about all sort of squads (firefight, close combat, etc...)


I plan on creating an Emperors Children Warband, so Mark of Slaanesh and Veterans of the Long War are mandatory (fluff-wise, so even for Havocs).

I wanted to use the new Aspiring Champion model as champion for a close combat (change bolter for close combat weapon) squad. Sadly, the Mark of Slaanesh is not really helpful with a Power Axe. And I wasn't sure that 10 marines were enough (more can not fit in a Rhino) especially when they can't assault after disembarking.

Because I don't play very often (and most of the time not with CSM but with Orks) I wanted to have some 'heads up' before glueing and painting my CSM. (I want my models to be as WYSIWYG as possible)


Keep those insights/comments/etc... comming. Thanks in advance.

[DWest]

With MoS, I'd give strong thought to a 20-blob with the Icon as a back-field objective holder. Still fairly cheap (~310 pts) and very tough to kill down. For a mobile squad, I really like the idea of 2x plasma, and say a Power Fist on the champion (for punching the stray tank or dreadnought).

[BatMarine]

If you use MoS I'd say if you want to run at your opponent, double melta or flamer, you can give the icon if you want so that 10 men in a Rhino is enough, that's up to you. Some people hate Icons, but I see it as a 30 point apothecary upgrade.

If you're sitting back field I'd run double plasma, or plasma/(insert tank killing weapon here) and then the Icon is basically required so you can handle everything just fine and hold your objective come hell or highwater.

In both cases initiative 5 makes power swords are your best good friend, though on the back field one you could run a power maul to get that +2s if you're actually worried about Dreads/MCs.

[Eberk]

Thus MoS with a power sword... To bad that shiny new Aspiring Champion model and none of the Chosen models from DV have a power sword (I was thinking of using the chosen as unit champions)

[BatMarine]

So... Do. Just do a weapon swap, that should be easy enough depending on which model you choose.

[mysterex]

Some of my models I drill out the shoulder and torso, insert rare earth magnets and the make arm swaps depending on how I want to play the model at the time. Usually makes sense only for troops that have the optional weapon upgrades like characters or special weapons.

I've done this with everything from terminators to a scout sergeant. I find that swapping in a magnetised replacement arm holds better than trying to do something fiddly with just the wrist.