Okay, I know it's probably not going to happen, but I put a list of things together that I personally would like to see changed in the current CSM codex. It is not meant as a total rebuild from scratch, it is merely a try to make my favourite army even more fun to play. I post the list of changes I have in my mind here for several reasons:
a) Things that went totally wrong (+x Pts?! What where you thinking!?) or that need clarification should be pointed out mercilessly.
b) Things I forgot. Your favourite unit is still barely useful? Drop me a hint.
c) Random praise to bolster my ego.
Maybe I'll even send this list to GW, don't know if that will do anything but at least I tried. At least, if enough people say "yup, that makes sense", I'd use these rules personally without having to feel like just bending the rules the way I like them.
To the Changelist!
Units
Daemon Prince
Warptime 40 Pts (+15 Pts)
Chaos Lord
Mark of Tzeentch 10 Pts (-5 Pts)
Chaos Sorcerer
Mark of Tzeentch 20 Pts (-10 Pts)
Possessed
27 Pts each (+1 Pt)
They loose their Daemonkin special rule. Instead they gain Rending and Fleet of Foot (or Fleet of Tentacle!).
Chaos Dreadnought
Looses the special rule crazed. Instead, they gain the USRs Rage and Furious Charge.
Plague Marines
25 Pts each (+2 Pts)
Noise Marines
Blastmaster 30 Pts (-10 Pts)
Chaos Bikers
27 Pts each (-6 Pts)
Chaos Raptors
Gain the USR Hit and Run.
Chaos Havocs
Rocket Launcher 15 Pts (-5 Pts)
Greater Daemon
120 Pts
S increase to 7
Mark of Khorne: 10 Pts
Mark of Slaanesh: 10 Pts
Mark of Nurgle: 40 Pts
Mark of Tzeentch: 40 Pts
Daemonic Allies Special Rule (see below)
Lesser Daemons
Icon of Khorne: 30 Pts
Icon of Slaanesh: 20 Pts
Icon of Nurgle: 50 Pts
Icon of Tzeentch: 40 Pts
Daemonic Allies Special Rule (see below)
Equipment
Plasma Pistol
Allows additional Attack in Close Combat even when armed with Power Fist or Lightning Claw
Daemon Weapon
Two handed Power Weapon with additional Bonus depending on the mark of the wielder:
Undivided: +1 S
Khorne: none
Nurgle: Poisoned (4+)
Tzeentch: Ability to cast Doombolt
Slaanesh: Instant Death
These are always active. In addition, if the wielder is in close combat, he may take a psychic test at the beginning of the combat phase. When successful, he gains +1d6 attacks for the coming round of close combat. If the wielder bears the mark of Khorne, he gains +2d6 Attacks - he may activate the deamon weapon, even though it is formally a psychic power. It only is activated the same way a Psychic Power is used (with the same danger of being attacked by a Daemon), yet it does not count as using a Psychic Power.
Lash of Submission
Stays roughly the way it is, but every model in the affected unit has to move the exact same distance in the exact same direction (so no more piling up for template weapons).
Special Rules
Daemonic Allies
Marks and Icons of Chaos are only available to Daemons, if there is no other Mark or Icon of Chaos present in the army. For example, if the army contains Thousand Sons, a Squad of 10 Chaos Space Marines without Chaos Icon, and a Daemon Prince with the Mark of Tzeentch, it may upgrade any Daemon units with a Mark of Tzeentch. If it also contained a Unit of Noise Marines, or the Chaos Space Marines had an Icon of Nurgle, no Daemon unit would be allowed any kind of Mark or Icon.