The first competitive season for 40k has arrived, with War Zone: Nachmund giving us new points, missions, secondary objectives, and rules to contemplate. These rules represent a major shake-up for competitive 40k and to help you make sense of it all, we’re going through each faction and talking about how things have changed for them and how they might compete.
For some additional commentary, we’ve asked Don Hooson and Michael Pestilens (of Warphammer) to offer some of their thoughts.
Faction Overview
Chaos Space Marines have had a rough fall in 9th edition, and over the course of 2021 quickly began to feel the weight and pressure of having an ancient 8th edition book (Sure, it got an update in 2019, but the core structure and most datasheets didn’t change). Forget about the second wound – the army lacks many of the tools afforded to modern armies, such as the ability to take multiple warlord traits, upgrade characters or squad leaders, regenerate CP, or even buy a third relic for one CP. This is partially counterbalanced by older, army-wide aura benefits (and the lack of CORE) and odd mechanics that key off modified rolls, but the net result is that Chaos Space Marines play more like a cheap melee horde army than anything resembling an elite force.
Mike: Chaos Space Marines still have some strong tools, but they have been increasingly left behind as 9th Edition has gone on. Emperor’s Children, Black Legion, Iron Warriors, World Eaters, and Word Bearers have all seen at least some success, but every Legion is starting to struggle and some Legions have been left far behind. As many armies have gotten much more durable and/or killy, Chaos Space Marines increasingly can’t keep up once they run out of CP or some buffs fail to go off. The good news is that Chaos Space Marines have an incredibly deep roster of units and combos. Any change to the game is generally good for them, because there is always something that creative Chaos Space Marines players can find to adapt to new situations.
Don: With the changes that are coming out for CSM and CA22 I am extremely hopeful for this faction. They may even become the most potent CHAOS faction to emerge in the new season.
Rob: I’m inclined to agree – there’s some good value to be had here. Chaos Space Marines benefit from still having Cultists that get Objective Secured, and the points changes to Chaos Space Marines give them some real options in the Troops slot. I’m suddenly giving the faction a whole new look going into the Nachmund season, despite no additional wounds.
The problem, however, is that a lot of other factions are just plain better, and armed with superior tools. I’m mostly afraid that Chaos Space Marines being “the most potent CHAOS faction to emerge” will say more about how bad the Chaos factions are than anything about CSM being powerful. Their biggest hurdles are likely going to be when they go up against Custodes armies that turn off re-rolls and T’au armies that can just shoot them off the board without line of sight.
The Points Changes
Mike: Let’s start by celebrating the humble Chaos Space Marine, who dropped from 14 to 12 ppm. This is a welcome change for an iconic unit. While arguably not as powerful as they should be, they are at least cheap enough to warrant real consideration. Legions besides Emperor’s Children and World Eaters that couldn’t take Noise Marines or Berzerkers as Troops will love to see this change. Red Corsairs and Alpha Legion players in particular will be very excited to see this change. They can hit reasonably hard for an ObSec unit that is also reasonably annoying to dig out of cover on an objective, especially when loaded out for melee.
One of the strengths of Chaos Space Marines is the ability to deliver large amounts of Lightning Claw attacks. And in that regard, the Warp Talon points drop (from 23 to 20 ppm) is an extremely welcome change. A World Eaters Warp Talon squad delivers 26 lighting claw attacks with exploding 6’s on a fast body for a mere 100 points. While they are still extremely fragile, their offensive output for their points is hard to ignore. Warp Talons are a unit that every Legion should consider now, and that some Legions can legitimately build around.
The Obliterator points drop is also very welcome. While they’re still wildly inconsistent outside of Iron Warriors, getting a points drop will make it less painful when they roll low. And on turns where they receive a bunch of buffs, roll hot, and shoot twice, they will do way more damage than an under 300 point unit has any right to. This is a welcome change for the faction overall.
Befitting a bottom tier faction, there was only a single point increase. The slight increase on the Lord of Skulls is definitely annoying. With everyone rocking -1 Damage these days, the game had already passed them by even before this point increase. But they were primarily seen in Iron Warriors, and the points drop on Obliterators will offset the Lord of Skulls increase for Iron Warriors players. This change isn’t enough to take it out of your lists if you were still running one.
Don: The points reduction to CSM to 12 points per model has me ecstatic. They are now at the points level where I honestly don’t mind that they are 1w. Comparing a 12 point Chaos Marine to a 20 point Intercessor makes a bit more sense now. I would not be surprised to see cheap units flooding the fields as soon as people build enough to do so.
Warp talons going down to 20 points per model was another unexpected alteration to an already good unit. I can definitely see arguments for 3×5 man squads or a couple 10 man squads for maximum punch.
Rob: This is a thing that I think a lot of players don’t get – right now Chaos Space Marines are much better off being very cheap and having one wound than having 2 at a fair cost. No one is scrambling to take Assault Intercessors right now as anything more than cheap backfield holders and the sheer volume of D2 weapons means that having 2 wounds can be a real liability without damage reduction. If you give me a choice between lightning claw Chosen at 20 points per model with 1W or 27 points with 2W, I’ll take the single wound goobers and hope to get good trades.
The New Missions
Don: The new missions seem to favor highly aggressive trading, and CSM look like they can do that with relative ease, especially with the black legion World Killers Stratagem. The new secondaries seem to favor units with Objective Secured, and CSM can flood the board with minimum sized ObSec units. The New faction secondary is written to allow a good CSM player that doesn’t table his opponent to get an avg of 8-10 VP. It is extremely difficult to get 15 on as an opponent can take 3 points away by simply not deploying on objectives or moving off objectives at the end of the game. It is better to have the option for sure, but the Astra Militarum secondary one is far superior.
I don’t know of a whole lot of soup within CSM that was performing well outside of an EC Terminator unit. I don’t believe that most CSM players will care much that everything with <LEGION> must be from the same legion.
Mike: Chaos Space Marines come out better than many factions out of the new detachment restrictions, because they are so CP hungry that they often wanted a single detachment anyway. And the combination of Raptors for harassment and cheaper Warp Talons for serious punch
Rob: The new secondary is very much a mixed bag. I think Chaos Space Marines favor an approach that hits hard early on and gets in an opponent’s face with cheap, deadly units that can make favorable trades. I don’t think they’re particularly great at dislodging tougher units from objectives reliably, but it’ll depend heavily on the army. The change to Warp Talons is solid but even those will struggle to take on tougher units – Bladeguard Veterans are going to be a nightmare for Warp Talons.
On the whole Chaos Space Marines lose very little from the <LEGION> restrictions as Abaddon can go in any list with BLACK LEGION as his keyword and you can still mix Chaos Space Marines and Death Guard, which is something I plan to do.
Building Some Lists
So what do our Chaos Masterminds think when it comes to playing the faction in the new competitive season? We sat down to build some lists and talk about what they do.
Don Hooson’s List
+++ Chaos Space Marines Battalion Detachment (12 CP, 2,000 Points) +++
Legion: The Purge (All units are Nurgle)
+ HQ +
125: Sorcerer with Jump Pack, Combi-melta, Force Sword, Warptime, Infernal Gaze, Blessed Mission, Warlord
95: Exalted Champion, Combi-melta, Chainsword
80: Dark Apostle, Orb of Unlife
10: 2x Dark Disciples
+ Troops +
255: 20 CSM, 19 Bolt Pistol, 19 Chainsword, 1 Combi-melta, 1 Lightning Claw
255: 20 CSM, 19 Bolt Pistol, 19 Chainsword, 1 Combi-melta, 1 Lightning Claw
255: 20 CSM, 19 Bolt Pistol, 19 Chainsword, 1 Combi-melta, 1 Lightning Claw
255: 20 CSM, 19 Bolt Pistol, 19 Chainsword, 1 Combi-melta, 1 Lightning Claw
135: 10 CSM, 9 Bolt Pistol, 9 Chainsword, 1 Combi-melta, 1 Lightning Claw
135: 10 CSM, 9 Bolt Pistol, 9 Chainsword, 1 Combi-melta, 1 Lightning Claw
+ Fast Attack +
200: 10 Warp Talons
100: 5 Warp Talons
100: 5 Warp Talons
+++ 2,000 Points, 12 CP +++
Don: This list aims to have a ton of low-cost, ObSec models that have a surprising amount of damage output, particularly when you factor in the Purge’s Bringers of Oblivion Trait, which lets them re-roll hit rolls against units that lost 1+ wounds during the turn. Smite and Infernal Gaze on the Sorcerer, the Orb of Unlife on the Dark Apostle, and a ton of Combi-Meltas are essentially your keys to getting some high-AP damage through before your melee attacks. With the new missions as they are, even I can’t say obsec is useless anymore.
Michael Pestilens’ List
Mike’s list skews hard in another direction, looking at the freshly reduced cost Warp Talons as a cheap source of damage output to produce something that looks a lot like a Blood Angels list disguised as World Eaters.
+++ World Eaters Outrider Detachment (1,998 Points, 8 CP) +++
Legion: World Eaters (all units are Khorne)
HQ: Kharn!
Troops: 8 Berzerkers with Axe/Sword, Lightning Claw on the champ
Troops: 10 Cultists
Elite: Greater Possessed, Warlord, Talisman of Burning Blood, Violent Urgency
Fast Attack: 8 Warp Talons
Fast Attack: 8 Warp Talons
Fast Attack: 8 Warp Talons
Fast Attack: 6 Raptors, Lightning Claw on the champ
Fast Attack: 6 Raptors, Lightning Claw on the champ
Fast Attack: 6 Raptors, Lightning Claw on the champ
Transport: Rhino
Transport: Rhino
+++ World Eaters Patrol Detachment +++
HQ: Exalted Champion, Power Axe, Berzerker Glaive relic
Troops: 8 Berzerkers with Axe/Sword, Lightning Claw on the champ
Fast Attack: Chaos Spawn
Fast Attack: Chaos Spawn
Heavy Support: 3 Obliterators
Flyer: Heldrake
Mike: This list is set up perfectly to take advantage of the new Chaos Space Marine secondary. It has a mix of trading pieces, hammer blows, and screening units. All of these brutal and mobile (either 12” with Fly, or gaining 3” of movement by disembarking from a Rhino) melee units will drown the midboard in blood. It seems like an absolute blast to play. Blood For The Blood God!
Robert “TheChirurgeon” Jones’ List
To be honest, I’m not sold on all these units yet. Warp Talons at 100 points are neat – and worth putting into lists where you can get off deep strike charges with them – but many of the units in Codex: Chaos Space Marines suffer from just being not effective enough. Don and MIke have interesting lists but I legitimately wonder how they’ll deal with some threats. So I’ve chosen to revise my Night Lords list to take advantage of cheaper unit costs in both the Night Lords and Death Guard books.
+++ Night Lords Battalion Detachment (0 CP, 1,355 points) +++
+ HQ +
Chaos Lord with Jump Pack, Lightning Claws, Mark of Slaanesh, Relic: Rapacious Talons, Warlord: Murderous Reputation (115)
Chaos Sorcerer with Jump Pack, Force stave, Mark of Slaanesh, Warptime, Delightful Agonies (115)
+ Troops +
Chaos Space Marines x10 with Bolt Pistol + Chainsword, Champ L. Claw (125)
Chaos Space Marines x10 with Bolt Pistol + Chainsword, Champ L. Claw (125)
Chaos Space Marines x5 with Bolt Pistol + Chainsword (60)
+ Fast Attack +
Warp Talons x5 with Mark of Khorne (100)
Warp Talons x5 with Mark of Khorne (100)
Bikers x9 with Mark of Slaanesh, Chainsword, 2x Meltagun, Champ L. Claw, Icon of Excess (315)
+ Flyer +
Heldrake with Baleflamer (150)
Heldrake with Baleflamer (150)
+++ Death Guard Spearhead Detachment (-3 CP, 645 Points) +++
Plague Company: The Inexorable
+ HQ +
Malignant Plaguecaster with Curse of the Leper, Miasma of Pestilence (95)
+ Elites +
Tallyman (70)
+ Heavy Support +
Plagueburst Crawler with Entropy Cannons (160)
Plagueburst Crawler with Entropy Cannons (160)
Plagueburst Crawler with Entropy Cannons (160)
+++
The Night Lords made out the best of the legions from the update to the rules text for Death to the False Emperor, as they’ve got more ways to get +1 to hit than any other legion, allowing them to proc extra hits on 5+ and 4+ with the Icon of Excess. Plus they have not one but two ways to make charges out of deep strike with From the Night and Raptor Strike, both of which benefit Warp Talons. Heldrakes for Chaos Space Marines aren’t very good, generally – they can’t hit much with WS 4+ and baleflamers are only D6 shots – but what they have over other flyers is that they aren’t AIRCRAFT, and so a host of rules just don’t apply to them – they can hide behind obscuring cover and more importantly, enemy models can’t move over their bases. The way this list works is that it zooms across the table turn 1 with the Heldrakes and blocks an opponent in, tying up key units in melee that might otherwise challenge my marines, and then the Warp Talons support them on turn 2 (or turn 1 with Warptime in some circumstances). If I’ve done this right, the opponent will be slow to leave their deployment zone and grouped up very well to be shelled by Plagueburst Crawlers.
John Bianco’s NorCal Open List
If you’re looking for a list that’s actually had some success already in the new Nachmund format, look no farther than John Bianco’s list, which finished 5-1 and in 4th place at the NorCal Open after losing on the top table to Treynor Wolfe’s Custodes. John’s EC list overcame two T’au lists, a Tyranid Crusher Stampede, and another Custodes list only to fall in the finals. It’s a truly incredible run that really speaks to his ability as a player.
++ Battalion Detachment 0CP (Chaos – Chaos Space Marines) [109 PL, 10CP, 2,000pts] ++
Legion: Emperor’s Children
- No Force Org Slot +
Dark Disciples [1 PL, 10pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. 2x Dark Disciple: 2x Close combat weapon
+ HQ +
Chaos Lord [6 PL, 85pts]: Astartes chainsword, Lightning Claw, Mark of Slaanesh
Dark Apostle [4 PL, 80pts]: Blissful Devotion, Mark of Slaanesh, Remnant of the Maraviglia, Warpsight Plea
Sorcerer [5 PL, 90pts]: Bolt pistol, Delightful Agonies, Force axe, Mark of Slaanesh, Prescience, Reader of Fate, Warlord
+ Troops +
Chaos Cultists [3 PL, 50pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. 9x Chaos Cultist w/ Autogun: 9x Autogun
. Cultist Champion: Autogun
Chaos Space Marines [4 PL, 60pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. Aspiring Champion: 2x Astartes chainsword
. 4x Marine w/ chainsword: 4x Astartes chainsword, 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades
Chaos Space Marines [4 PL, 60pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
. Aspiring Champion: 2x Astartes chainsword
. 4x Marine w/ chainsword: 4x Astartes chainsword, 4x Bolt pistol, 4x Frag & Krak grenades
Noise Marines [10 PL, 235pts]: Icon of Excess
. 2x Marine w/ blastmaster: 2x Blastmaster, 2x Bolt pistol, 2x Frag & Krak grenades
. 7x Marine w/ sonic blaster: 7x Bolt pistol, 7x Frag & Krak grenades, 7x Sonic blaster
. Noise Champion: Lightning Claw, Sonic blaster
+ Elites +
Chaos Contemptor Dreadnought [8 PL, -1CP, 170pts]: Mark of Slaanesh, 2x Twin volkite culverin
Chaos Contemptor Dreadnought [8 PL, -1CP, 170pts]: Mark of Slaanesh, 2x Twin volkite culverin
Chosen [12 PL, 180pts]: Icon of Excess, Mark of Slaanesh
. Chosen: Lightning Claw
. Chosen: Lightning Claw
. Chosen: Lightning Claw
. Chosen: Lightning Claw
. Chosen: Lightning Claw
. Chosen Champion: Astartes chainsword, Lightning Claw
. Chosen w/ lightning claw: Astartes chainsword, Lightning Claw
. Chosen w/ lightning claw: Astartes chainsword, Lightning Claw
. Chosen w/ lightning claw: Astartes chainsword, Lightning Claw
. Chosen w/ lightning claw: Astartes chainsword, Lightning Claw
Terminators [16 PL, 290pts]: Icon of Excess, Mark of Slaanesh
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator Champion: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
Terminators [16 PL, 290pts]: Icon of Excess, Mark of Slaanesh
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
. Terminator Champion: Combi-bolter, Lightning Claw
+ Fast Attack +
Dreadclaw Drop Pod [6 PL, 115pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
Dreadclaw Drop Pod [6 PL, 115pts]: Mark of Slaanesh
++ Total: [109 PL, 10CP, 2,000pts] ++
This isn’t terribly different from some of the Emperor’s Children lists we saw before Nachmund, relying on two large units of claw-and-bolter Terminators to hold midtable objectives, albeit now armed with an Icon of Excess and the ability to drop extra hits on 5+. They’re supported by a unit of 10 Chosen with Lightning claws, who arrive on the battlefield in one of the army’s two Dreadclaw Drop pods, then use Honour the Prince to make a charge immediately after disembarking.
The other Dreadclaw holds the 10 Noise Marines, who can drop out and load up on Stratagems like Excrutiating Frequencies, Veterans of the Long War, and Endless Cacophony to double shoot on max power mode with D2 sonic blasters. Supporting these forces are a trio of characters who can boost the effectiveness of the Terminators, plus a pair of Volkite Contemptors, who can still provide plenty of value despite their increased points cost. Being able to reliably give them +1 to hit, the abiltiy to re-roll 1s to hit, and the ability to re-roll wounds with Remnant of the Maraviglia is some powerful stuff that lets you chase those mortals.
The big challenge for Emperor’s Children going up against Custodes is the golden boys’ ability to turn off re-rolls, and that’s pretty much 75% of how the Chaos Legion will push their damage through with Lightning Claws and the other effects we’ve mentioned. It’s a tough matchup that doesn’t favor the Emperor’s Children.
Final Thoughts
If you’re a die-hard Chaos Space Marines player looking for help from the new points and competitive play update well, you got it. Whether this update will be enough to bring Chaos Space Marines back into the realm of competitive viability is another story – there’s likely some outside build lurking around here, but it’s not yet clear what that’s going to look like. The faction has some good pieces to play with however, and some cheap, interesting options to consider. It’s unlikely they’ll compete against the game’s top factions, but it won’t be hopeless going up some of the tier 2 and 3 armies, at least.
Have any questions or feedback? Drop us a note in the comments below or email us at contact@goonhammer.com.
